[LINK] Ogg Vorbis and Theora removed from HTML5

[Marghanita da Cruz]

Kim Holburn wrote:
> 
> On 2007/Dec/17, at 12:07 AM, Alastair Rankine wrote:
> 
>> Rick Welykochy wrote:
>>> In move that can only be described as a FUD-driven attempt by Apple
>>> and other proprietary codec holders or supporters, the W3 has so far
>>> bowed to pressure to remove Ogg/Vorbis and Theora from the emerging
>>> HTML-5 specification.
>>
>> I support the intent behind this change. It should not be up to the 
>> HTML spec to recommend (and it was only a recommendation) any specific 
>> video codec, regardless of the merits (or otherwise) of any one of them.
>>
>> The HTML spec should be reasonably stable and not subject to the 
>> turbulence that exists around video compression technology and 
>> associated intellectual property issues. A change in technology or 
>> licensing could, for example, instantly render the Ogg recommendation 
>> obsolete (or at least a lot less clear-cut).
> 
> The spec recommends particular image compression technologies and they 
> have not always been unencumbered and the same gotchas apply to them too 
> and yet where would we be without images on the www?  Same for audio - 
> hasn't bgsound been around for a while with the same issues.
> 
>> However it seems to me that the change to the HTML5 spec *is* making a 
>> codec recommendation, or at least a non-recommendation. By saying that 
>> none of the current codecs are suitable for various reasons, the 
>> document is straying outside of its (declared) scope.
>>
>> This is particularly problematic when one of the reasons given for the 
>> non-recommendation is based on its assessment of Ogg's (actually 
>> unstated but obvious in the context of the change) exposure to 
>> submarine patent violation. This is *well* outside scope for the HTML 
>> spec IMHO.
>> _______________________________________________

There is some discussion about its removal here
<http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-html/2007Dec/0004.html>

and related ....Opera files EU antitrust complaint against Microsoft
<http://news.zdnet.co.uk/internet/0,1000000097,39291498,00.htm>

by way of background...From: <http://vorbis.com/faq/#flic>
"What licensing applies to the Ogg Vorbis format?
The Ogg Vorbis specification is in the public domain."
and later....
"What licensing applies to the included Ogg Vorbis software?
Most (but not all) of our utility software is released under the terms of the
GNU GPL. The libraries and SDKs are released under our BSD-like license"

From: <http://www.theora.org/faq/#14>
"Q. What is the license for Theora?
Theora (and all associated technologies released by the Xiph.org Foundation) is
released to the public via a BSD-style license. It is completely free for
commercial or noncommercial use. That means that commercial developers may
independently write Theora software which is compatible with the specification
for no charge and without restrictions of any kind. "

Marghanita
-- 
Marghanita da Cruz
http://www.ramin.com.au
Phone: (+61)0414 869202