Microsoft Gives Firefox an HTML5 Video Upgrade
Microsoft's helping out the non-Internet Explorer browser.
The next web video standards, particularly in HTML5, are not totally united. While the many of the browsers support H.264, such as Safari and Internet Explorer, Mozilla has chosen to not use H.264 due to its potential patent fees (even though it's supposed to be license-fee free for the foreseeable future).
This means that Firefox, the most popular 'alternative' browser, doesn't support what could be the most popular form of HTML5 video. While it's admirable that Mozilla is sticking to its guns for a long-term vision, those wanting to use Firefox H.264 could be disappointed – if it weren't for Microsoft.
In a very surprising move, Microsoft has created a plug-in for Firefox that enables H.264 video playback on Windows 7 machines thanks to a trick that uses Windows Media Player.
From the release notes: "The extension is based on a Firefox add-on that parses HTML5 pages and replaces video tags with a call to the Windows Media Player plug-in so that the content can be played in the browser. The add-on replaces video tags only if the video formats specified in the tag are among those supported by Windows Media Player. Tags that contain other video formats are not touched."
If you're a Windows 7 user with Firefox 3.6 or newer, grab the download here.
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Dang, whats the name of the chick in the pic?
Old News.......
Saw this at least a week ago on Softpedia.com
I suspect that Microsoft is doing this only because they want to help kill the Adobe Flash in favor for their own Silverlight. That's just a gut feeling I have. Microsoft isn't just giving anyone a free beer.
Old News.......Saw this at least a week ago on Softpedia.com
And some of us haven't seen such news. Not everyone has as much time as you to scour the internet for news.
To me this is New News. if you don't have anything relevant to say, don't say it at all.
I spend less than half an hour each day "Looking" (not scouring) to see what's new each day.
Tom's Hardware
Softpedia.com
CNN.com
FileHippo.com
Spywareinfoforum.com
The rest of the day I spend doing what ever I feel like doing providing nothing else needs doing around the house or elsewhere.
But YES, Being DISABLED, I do spend most of my time on my computers of which sadly I have become bored with lately as I have spent the last 16 years both on and off line.
I think I only read Firefox articles to see that girl.
Question. Is it just me or has no one been using thumbs up and down anymore? That is how i figure out which comments i want to read or not.
....But YES, Being DISABLED, I do spend most of my time on my computers of which sadly I have become bored with lately as I have spent the last 16 years both on and off line.
Oooh, burn! Now that you've pulled the cripple card out we all respect you so much more and will go out of our way not to hurt your feelings.
You do realize that using a minority status to demand legitimacy really undercuts your cause, right?
the plugin will use WMP for any WMP supported format, not only H.264?
WMP is kind of a resource hog
WMP sux. wont it slow down the browsing in ff? MS should put an agreement for 100 years on a paper, for other browsers to be able to use it for free, not the damn plugin for WMP.
btw thumbs up/down doesnt work.
Oooh, burn! Now that you've pulled the cripple card out we all respect you so much more and will go out of our way not to hurt your feelings.You do realize that using a minority status to demand legitimacy really undercuts your cause, right?
Actually, it doesn't. When a normal person without any form of disability spends all of his time behind his PC, he or she is extremely sad. When a disabled person does it, it's still sad, but at least he or she has an excuse for not doing anything relevant.
Microsoft do know how to catch the ball in internet browsing.
Dang, whats the name of the chick in the pic?
Miss Direction
Question. Is it just me or has no one been using thumbs up and down anymore? That is how i figure out which comments i want to read or not.
I guess i will thumbs up you for that
Interesting plugin, not that i plan to need it just yet.
Actually you can use thumbs up and down, but only if you read the comments on the forum, which I do because there are several advantages like:
- more comments on a page
- longer lines (it's a plus for me)
- avatars
- and now there is also the thumbs up and down thing
I suspect that Microsoft is doing this only because they want to help kill the Adobe Flash in favor for their own Silverlight. That's just a gut feeling I have. Microsoft isn't just giving anyone a free beer.
It's either that or the slightly less likely idea that Microsoft is actually trying to keep users happy regardless of the browser they're using. It probably took a single MS developer a half day to make it happen and it makes Microsoft look a little better in people's eyes.
Old News.......Saw this at least a week ago on Softpedia.com
All knowing God of computers that you are. Everyone shall soon be like you and have the time to review all internet news and comment.
This article is news to me, thanks Tom's for brining this interesting article that I enjoyed reading! Keep up the good work!
Dang, whats the name of the chick in the pic?
My wife's name is Amy.
(That last comment is not related to the picture).
It's either that or the slightly less likely idea that Microsoft is actually trying to keep users happy regardless of the browser they're using. It probably took a single MS developer a half day to make it happen and it makes Microsoft look a little better in people's eyes.
It's about money. Microsoft has patents and invested into H264. If everything supports H264, content makers are going to use that. The content makers have to pay fees of course. Those fees go to MPEG LA which distributes them among it's members including Microsoft and Apple. Couple this with the low investment resources and you see why Microsoft does this.
The MPEG LA is going to get a lot of cash and if it holds a strong monopoly, the licence fees will go up and licence conditions will become more broad. Including viewers of content.
Microsoft is not trying to get users happy. Microsoft is trying to get users hooked (dependent) on H264.
holy crap
Microsoft doing something nice
Question. Is it just me or has no one been using thumbs up and down anymore? That is how i figure out which comments i want to read or not.
I discovered that it works fine in the forums, whether you use the thumbs up or down from the article or the forums. Just doesn't show in the article properly. Apparently I'm one of the only people NOT reading these in the forums.
Call me lazy, but why should I HAVE to read in the forums to see thumbs up/down, why should I HAVE to use the forums to edit comments? Why they hell do they even have Tom's Guide/Tom's Hardware comments section if they don't support squat except in the forums?
I spend less than half an hour each day "Looking" (not scouring) to see what's new each day.Tom's HardwareSoftpedia.comCNN.comFileHippo.comSpywareinfoforum.comThe rest of the day I spend doing what ever I feel like doing providing nothing else needs doing around the house or elsewhere.But YES, Being DISABLED, I do spend most of my time on my computers of which sadly I have become bored with lately as I have spent the last 16 years both on and off line.
Fine and dandy, but hearing the "seen it" comments everytime an article pops up is annoying.
All knowing God of computers that you are. Everyone shall soon be like you and have the time to review all internet news and comment.This article is news to me, thanks Tom's for brining this interesting article that I enjoyed reading! Keep up the good work!
You really don't have much of a life outside of looking for people to try to flame, Do you?
I bet you spend most of your time updating your profile/s on social networks and texting (what a waste of time).
Get a Life and maybe you'll see things a whole lot sooner rather than later.
Now than really is a burn!
It's because of people like you, Marco925, rebturtle and others that there are Anti-Bullying Laws going into effect in many places covering schools and work places, laws which also apply to online behavior as this can have direct consequences to the lives of people who are targeted.
I spend less than half an hour each day "Looking" (not scouring) to see what's new each day.Tom's HardwareSoftpedia.comCNN.comFileHippo.comSpywareinfoforum.comThe rest of the day I spend doing what ever I feel like doing providing nothing else needs doing around the house or elsewhere.But YES, Being DISABLED, I do spend most of my time on my computers of which sadly I have become bored with lately as I have spent the last 16 years both on and off line.
Nobody cares that you're disabled, it's just that you're annoying with your "old news" nonsense. Maybe I should bitch on here too because I'm gay...boo hoo... give it a rest, we're all messed up equally!
i think what microsoft did was a good, curtious move. if I were them, i would hire/buy mozilla as a web browse provider to turn IE into firefox. THAT would truly make windows' browser come alive
I personally hate WMP, with a vengeance. While this might be up some peoples alley.. It won't be on my machine.
You really don't have much of a life outside of looking for people to try to flame, Do you?I bet you spend most of your time updating your profile/s on social networks and texting (what a waste of time).Get a Life and maybe you'll see things a whole lot sooner rather than later.Now than really is a burn!It's because of people like you, Marco925, rebturtle and others that there are Anti-Bullying Laws going into effect in many places covering schools and work places, laws which also apply to online behavior as this can have direct consequences to the lives of people who are targeted.
LOL. Coming from the man that just said:
..I do spend most of my time on my computers of which sadly I have become bored with lately as I have spent the last 16 years both on and off line.
Most of 16 years on a computer and your telling someone ELSE to get a life?! Roflmao.
Oh.. And no.. Your "burn" was more of a pathetic attempt at bending the power of the law and punishment under your will and into your arms as a proverbial weapon with which to beat down anyone that apparently disagrees with you. That's pathetic.. Not a burn.
Asking you to walk up to him and stay it to his face, or mine for that matter, like a man, would be a burn. Assuming, of course, that you're in a wheelchair. If you're not.. Let me know. Because while I am usually disgusted by the degradation of the disabled.. In your case, you seem to deserve it. Arrogant, self-righteous little boy*.
(*Which I feel you are. Based on your behavior. Not age. Unless of course you are a kid, in which case.. I'm 2 for 2!
And as one of the above posters said.. They don't have as much time as you use on the internet reading news. Or perhaps they don't read as fast as you. For one that is disabled, you seem to be pretty judgmental yourself pal. I, personally, suggest you get away from your computer. The cold glow of your monitor, and lack of Vit-D supplying sunlight is turning you, no offense intended, into a douche.. Provided you weren't born that way.
Cheers!
Cool it fellas. It's fine to disagree, just try and do so in a more constructive manner.
Not sure where you got that from. All that means is there are no royalties on content that uses H.264 if the content is provided to users for free. Software that encodes and encodes H.264 is not affected and is still liable for license fees.
http://shaver.off.net/diary/2010/0 [...] nd-codecs/
cool.