Flash viewer for FBSD

[C. P. Ghost]

On Sat, Mar 6, 2010 at 9:25 AM, Polytropon <freebsd at edvax.de> wrote:
> On Sat, 6 Mar 2010 09:03:58 +0100, Sabine Baer <baerks at t-online.de> wrote:
>> Well, it is, indeed. Me I am very glad beeing able to do eg
>> linux-opera -display :0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhmf4l4OxNw
>> since I live in a Windows free zone at home.
>
> Well, there's always "youtube-dl -a" for that. Just for YT
> I don't need "Flash".

That's true. I love youtube-dl too, as it helps me keep a local
.flv copy, even for videos that have been removed for one reason
or another.

However, there are other video sites like dailymotion. What
downloader do you use for these?

And remember, youtube-dl is a hack. It can break anytime
YT changes its embedding. I wished YouTube would switch
to HTML5, or at least added this as an option.

> The "need", to illustrate that, is
> often nothing more than a useless barrier built by people
> who don't seem to know better. As I said before, most things
> that "Flash" can do could be achieved with standardized (!)
> and free means. And often, "Flash" is (ab)used to do idiotic
> things like simply providing animated buttons.

I've talked with the IT department of a company recently who
had to switch from perfectly usable barrier-less HTML to Flash.
Actually, the IT guys didn't want to, but their management was
adamant. The main reason wasn't buttons or little animations,
but something much more mundane: the graphics design
company they hired to create their new corporate identity
insisted that the only way to get a 100% pixel-precise layout
was with Flash... and management fell for it. Basically, they
wanted to duplicate their glossy brochures 1:1, and didn't care
about reduced usability and accessibility. Incredibly silly move,
but their company, their decision.

> With the upcoming HTML 5 standard, there's even a chance that
> "Flash" will be ignored by the rest of the world sooner
> or later.

HTML 5 isn't the problem, that will be easy to implement. It's about
picking the right video codec. There's no high quality codec available
that is both ubiquitous in hardware, and unencumbered by patents.

> Polytropon
> Magdeburg, Germany
> Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0
> Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...

-cpghost.

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