RE: Public feedback on HTML5 video

Hi,

I am in full support to put final control in the hands of the end user.

If the UA can provide that control, great.


Simultaneously I think it is important to start out with the best markup
possible.
We should enable the author to create clean and good content, being able
to use the superior knowledge about the content, the audience and the
context in which the content is delivered.

Furthermore, and this was my original point, it is important to be
explicit in those instructions, no matter who issues them or what they
concern.
An explicit instruction may also involve giving control up to the UA,
but that is then done by choice.

As such I like what Leif said:  
"Perhaps we need 3 attribute values: autobuffer="on|off|auto", where
"auto" is the default."

In response to Philip's comment:
> >   1. Do whatever the browser thinks best. [no autobuffer attribute]
> >
> >   2. Please autobuffer. [autobuffer="on"]
> >
> >   3. Please *don't* autobuffer. [autobuffer="off"]
> >
> I do not support making this distinction, because as an 
> implementor I cannot act any differently in case 1 and 3. Any 
> browser that has gone to the effort of being conservative 
> with network resources will want that behavior even if 
> autobuffer="off" is given. Unless there is some browser 
> vendor who can see themselves acting differently in case 1 
> and 3, this just adds a bit of complexity and the illusion of 
> control on part of the author where there is in fact none.

I do see a difference here (Option 3 would be equivalent to
autobuffer="auto" of Leif's suggestion).
When "on" is chosen, the expectation would be that the UA buffers
according to some predetermined parameters...no control by the UA,
unless the UA gets explicit instructions by the end user.
When "auto" is chosen control is given to the UA to determine if and how
to best buffer.  This however could also mean that there won't be any
buffering.
So the illusion is not really one.  The author just hands over control
to the UA.  Again, this can be overridden by explicit end user
instructions.

-- Kai

Received on Tuesday, 29 December 2009 10:40:16 UTC