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VLC for the new Windows 8 User Experience fundraiser

videolan.org

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Re: VLC for the new Windows 8 User Experience fundraiser

#21

Post by illuminate »

aes256 wrote: post #11
megaman821 wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1) Since there are a multitude of codecs, profiles, and containers to encode and deliver videos in, yes. 2) That is all your opinion with no facts to back it up. It is extremely unlikely that Metro is going anywhere at this point.

If a non-profit can keep on top of all the different codecs, profiles and containers, why can't Microsoft? By all means leave the bleeding edge professional codecs to third party software, but most people only use VLC to play rudimentary formats (MPEG-2, MPEG-4, WMV, FLV, etc.) This functionality really ought to be built into the OS these days.

"If a non-profit can keep on top of all the different codecs, profiles and containers, why can't Microsoft?"

Because Microsoft would actually be required to license every one of them that are possible to license legally.

The capability is certainly there, but the users will likely not pay for their availability. It'll be interesting to see how many users of Windows 8 do upgrade, in the case of DVD playback and the Media Center features.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/feature-packs

Re: VLC for the new Windows 8 User Experience fundraiser

#22

Post by wmf »

aes256 wrote: post #8
NathanKP wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

With regard to point #1 I generally find VLC to be much more forgiving than the generic video players built into Windows or Mac OS X. VLC will often play damaged video files and all sorts of random, slightly corrupted files found on file sharing sites, etc. With regard to point #2 it is more than just a new interface look for VLC. It will require extensive rewriting to work within the Windows sandbox using appropriat…

1) Oh absolutely, I don't dispute VLC remains useful. I just think it's a shame that we still need VLC. To most of its users, VLC is "that thing that my friend told me I'd need to install to play these videos because for some reason Windows can't play them on its own" 2) I'm more worried about the precedent this sets. Is VLC going to need new cash injections every time Microsoft change the rules of the Windows Store,…

it's a shame that we still need VLC.

I agree, but the various "scenes" resolutely refuse to adopt industry standards.

Re: VLC for the new Windows 8 User Experience fundraiser

#23

Post by voltagex_ »

wmf wrote: post #22
aes256 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1) Oh absolutely, I don't dispute VLC remains useful. I just think it's a shame that we still need VLC. To most of its users, VLC is "that thing that my friend told me I'd need to install to play these videos because for some reason Windows can't play them on its own" 2) I'm more worried about the precedent this sets. Is VLC going to need new cash injections every time Microsoft change the rules of the Windows Store,…

it's a shame that we still need VLC. I agree, but the various "scenes" resolutely refuse to adopt industry standards.

x264 isn't a standard?

Re: VLC for the new Windows 8 User Experience fundraiser

#24

Post by albertzeyer »

albertzeyer wrote: post #5

I think it is a nice idea to finance the development via Kickstarter. I think this could become much more common for common big open source projects, i.e. some particular interesting missing feature or redesign which might need anyway some professional designer or so - financed by the community. And if I am interested in the particular feature, I am also very open to spend a bit money there. Also, by doing separate c…

Another thought, going even further: I would also very happy to work on many other open source projects if I would be paid for.

Maybe there could be an open platform similar to Kickstarter but maybe the users itself could suggest features and obligatory say how much money they would spend. And developers would say on what things they would want to work on. In the end, probably the project maintainers would then decide to start it and select the developers for it.

Or alternatively: People would not determine the amount of money obligatory but they would just say some amount. Developers would register for it. And then the users again would decide for what developers (or maybe other external needed resources) they would give how much money and if some constraints are given, it can be made final. That way, the official project maintainers would not have to maintain this work and many more random features on random open source projects, maybe even abandoned ones could be implemented.

Re: VLC for the new Windows 8 User Experience fundraiser

#26

Post by sukuriant »

aes256 wrote: post #11
megaman821 wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1) Since there are a multitude of codecs, profiles, and containers to encode and deliver videos in, yes. 2) That is all your opinion with no facts to back it up. It is extremely unlikely that Metro is going anywhere at this point.

If a non-profit can keep on top of all the different codecs, profiles and containers, why can't Microsoft? By all means leave the bleeding edge professional codecs to third party software, but most people only use VLC to play rudimentary formats (MPEG-2, MPEG-4, WMV, FLV, etc.) This functionality really ought to be built into the OS these days.

Legally being able to play those formats requires paying money to decode the patented formats. mpeg-4 and mp3, among others, are patented.

Re: VLC for the new Windows 8 User Experience fundraiser

#27

Post by brigade »

voltagex_ wrote: post #23
wmf wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

it's a shame that we still need VLC. I agree, but the various "scenes" resolutely refuse to adopt industry standards.

x264 isn't a standard?

No, it's a program that encodes video.

H.264 / AVC / MPEG-4 Part 10 is the standard that describes the video format encoded by x264.

Re: VLC for the new Windows 8 User Experience fundraiser

#28

Post by Nikaido »

aes256 wrote: post #4

1) It's 2012 and we still need third party software to watch videos? I understand VLC does other stuff, but the reason most people use and install it is just to watch videos; 2) This seems like an awful lot of money, not to mention the precedent it sets, just to craft an interface for what is, ultimately, a transient 'design language'. Metro is ugly and a UX nightmare. It will be replaced with something completely ne…

1/ It's 2012 and Windows 8 has decided it can't play DVD movies. Yes, that's right. You now NEED to install third party software just to play a legitimately bought DVD movie !

VLC is even more necessary than ever.

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