Re: CfC: Create Media Task Force

On Apr 19, 2012, at 4:50 PM, Robert O'Callahan wrote:

On Thu, Apr 19, 2012 at 7:15 AM, Mark Watson <watsonm@netflix.com<mailto:watsonm@netflix.com>> wrote:
On Apr 17, 2012, at 9:01 PM, Robert O'Callahan wrote:
Why can't all CDMs be specified/documented?

I suppose Microsoft/Google/Apple could answer for why they have not or will not publish the PlayReady/Widevine/Fairplay specifications.

Sorry, we're miscommunicating. I'm not asking that those DRM systems be completely specified or documented. I'm only asking that the interface between those systems and the browser be specified or documented, so that anyone writing a browser for a system where one of those products is present can implement the CDM for that product.

Ah, ok. Well, I completely agree with that goal.

One approach would be to encourage the DRM vendors to publish their existing APIs. Another would be to work together on a common API which is sufficient to hook up a DRM component to the proposed HTML5 extensions and get multiple DRM vendors to expose that API. This second API would likely be simpler than the existing vendor-specific APIs. And it would be simpler to see how to connect it to the HTML5 extensions. At Netflix we have such an API which we use for integration with a wide variety of systems. I will see if we can publish that.

The only thing I am unsure about is how much of the above could/should be done in a W3C context and how much is about companies working together outside W3C ?

…Mark


I think asking browser manufacturers to become DRM vendors is something we want to avoid. We want to ensure that those existing technologies can be easily integrated with browsers of all kinds.

Fully agree! (Modulo my latent desire that we not have to deal with DRM at all. :-) )

Rob
--
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. ... If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others?" [Matthew 5:43-47]