[Foundation-l] Wikipedia Invites Users to Take Part in Open, Collaborative Video Experiment

[Erik Moeller]

On 1/18/08, Chad <innocentkiller at gmail.com> wrote:
> When Flash itself becomes open-source, I'll join.

http://www.gnu.org/software/gnash/

Kaltura is actively exploring different ways to build a UI that runs
only on open source components:

* helping out the Gnash developers
* implementing a simpler UI using either HTML/JavaScript, or Java
* lobbying for an open source release of Adobe Flash itself,
etc.

I'm sure they will appreciate feedback from the more technical folks
on this list to work towards a fully open source solution for both the
player and the editor components. They've been highly responsive in
addressing community concerns, which is the primary reason we're
working with them: if our cooperation with them incentivizes them to
- change their license from CC-BY-NC-SA to CC-BY-SA
- release their existing code under GPLv3
- seriously explore Ogg Theora & Ogg Vorbis codecs
- publicly support open standards & open source
- work towards a 100% open collaborative video solution,

then all those are positive outcomes. This partnership is not driven
by any other motive than to advance open video collaboration on the
web. It is non-exclusive and non-committal: If Kaltura does not
succeed in building an open solution, or if the open source ecosystem
creates something else that is superior, then we have no obligation
whatsoever to use their software.

As for the ToS issue, they're aware of it; I'm sure it will get
resolved amicably very quickly, as did the licensing issue.

The primary cost associated with this project is the time spent on
mailing lists arguing about it :-)
-- 
Erik Möller
Deputy Director, Wikimedia Foundation

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