> It is my belief that a Javascript (later WebAssembly) port of VLC, the VideoLan Player, will fundamentally change our relationship to a mass of materials and files out there, ones which are played, viewed, or accessed. Just like we had a lot of software locked away in static formats that required extensive steps to even view or understand, so too do we have formats beyond the “usual” that are also frozen into a multi-step process. Making these instantaneously function in the browser, all browsers, would be a revolution.
Something like VLC.js is anything but "[a] [s]imple [r]equest" :)
The web experiences some kind of rot anyway. As long as you can still access and play stuff you really want in at least one way (VLC), is the instantaneous part such a win?
It's a technical solution to a problem most people don't face. Are people really facing that many multi-media files that can't be played? Two bigger issues that come to mind: 1) stuff hosted on closed, proprietary sites that then close down 2) how to find stuff (especially with esoteric or unusual content). So IMO, VLC.js probably wouldn't "fundamentally change our relationship to a mass of materials and files out there".
I agree there is a delivery issue, but again I think it's findability and hosting - hence why youtube/soundcloud/spotify/netflix is a thing.
Something like VLC.js is anything but "[a] [s]imple [r]equest" :)
The web experiences some kind of rot anyway. As long as you can still access and play stuff you really want in at least one way (VLC), is the instantaneous part such a win?
It's a technical solution to a problem most people don't face. Are people really facing that many multi-media files that can't be played? Two bigger issues that come to mind: 1) stuff hosted on closed, proprietary sites that then close down 2) how to find stuff (especially with esoteric or unusual content). So IMO, VLC.js probably wouldn't "fundamentally change our relationship to a mass of materials and files out there".
I agree there is a delivery issue, but again I think it's findability and hosting - hence why youtube/soundcloud/spotify/netflix is a thing.