Cache SMIL like HTML

Hi,

It's amazing where I see SMIL turning up these days, from Nokia planning 
a phase 2 with SMIL 2 feature set, to Digital radio in the US using 
SMIL to handle the different data streams and even SMIL being considered 
for a new optical storage system.

All in all fantastic progress, except where it comes to the number of 
individuals using SMIL, in comparison to HTML. Searching the Web and you 
would find billions of HTML pages, can we hope one day that same amount 
of SMIL pages. I think so, especially with open non-proprietary formats 
like Vorbis audio and Theora video coming along and Timed text moving 
towards a W3C recommendation, the basic media files are free.

Also one big advancement are the devices to digitally capture images, 
video and audio becoming less expensive and higher in quality.
All these technologies mean a Multimedia file that can be easily 
created, but can not be easily shared on the Web.

Is it time to treat a SMIL files like an HTML files where they can be 
cached and saved? For some content from corporations with a lot of 
dollars invested in creating it, maybe not, they can use DRM. For the 
multitude of individuals that create their own webpages for fun and or 
for profit, yes. Now days, more so in the near future capturing quality 
images, audio and video are becoming as easy as capturing text. Lets 
begin to treat audio, images, video like HTML text and fill the Web with 
multimedia.

Now that we have 2 SMIL 2.0 players, RealPlayer and AMBULANT, could the 
W3C standardize the method of caching, right now the RealPlayer uses a 
chttp instead of http in the media's URI to cache. Should all SMIL 2.0 
players use the same approach?


Jose Ramirez

The Industrial age made it possible to move objects great distances.
The Information age will make it possible to move ideas great distances
with SMIL, Vorbis, Theora, Time text, jpg, png :)



Nokia, MMS Phase 2:
http://www.nokia.com/BaseProject/Sites/NOKIA_MAIN_18022/CDA/Categories/Solutions/MobileSoftware/Downloads/_Content/_Static_Files/mms_wp_a4_2706.pdf

iBiquity Digital radio, the future is SMIL:
http://www.ibiquity.com/technology/data.htm

The Optical Storage Technology Association (OSTA) SMIL-es:
http://www.osta.org/osta/press_releases/pr240202.htm

Received on Friday, 23 January 2004 16:26:20 UTC