Peter Gervai wrote:
In the name of
freedom, we
are enforcing a non-standard format,
On the contrary, we are enforcing STANDARD formats, and more, OPEN STANDARD
formats. Don't confuse "standard" with "installed on most proprietary
overmarketed systems"; availability does not make it standard. It is right
to note, that the standard formats are not yet as widespread, but do not
mix these.
I think you're misusing the term "standard". Theora is certainly
"open", but it is not an "open standard", because it is not a standard
at all. It is a product from the Xiph Foundation, which is not a
standards body of any sort, just an open source development
organization. MPEG, by contrast, is an internationally recognized
standards body, but their standard has some patent encumberance.
I think we ought to distinguish between:
-- Fully proprietary, non-standard formats (WMV, etc.)
-- Open standards whose implementation may be problematic due to patents
(MPEG, AAC, etc.)
-- Non-standard but open and unencumbered formats (FLAC, Ogg, Theora, etc.)
-- Open standards with no patent encumberance (PNG, AIFF, etc.)
I don't think Theora falls in the last category, because there has been
no standardization process where various concerns and issues are hashed
out, just a unilateral implementation by Xiph. Which I still fully
support, of course, but it's not the same sort of thing as PNG, which is
truly developed through a standards process.
The question for us, of course, is whether we should prefer both
standard and non-standard open source formats, and where to draw the line.
-Mark