- From: Gervase Markham <gerv@mozilla.org>
- Date: Fri, 31 May 2013 16:48:47 +0100
- To: Mark Watson <watsonm@netflix.com>, public-restrictedmedia@w3.org
On 31/05/13 15:55, Mark Watson wrote: > Examples include Geolocation and WebGL. Whilst it is possible to > implement both of these in open source software, you basically need > proprietary hardware (and the proprietary software drivers to go with > it) to offer a performant capability to applications (GPS and a graphics > card, respectively). I'm not sure this is the case; I believe that it's true that there are GPS chips and graphics cards out there with open source drivers, including for accelerated 3D. If you believe these examples hold, can you say exactly which part of the GPS or 3D stacks is entirely unavailable as open source software for any existing hardware? I think that perhaps the criteria for a set of technologies to be open is that it is possible, given enough time, skill and intelligence, for a person or group of people to read the documentation and legally implement those technologies without needing anyone else's permission, to a level where they had the same capabilities as other existing systems. So let's take WebGL. Even if there were no free 3D drivers for any existing graphics hardware, someone, given enough time and effort, could write some. (And people are.) Or they could build their own hardware. (And people are.) These actions are not legally restricted or made crytographically impossible. However, if EME/CDM comes to exist and is robust, and is used for web video, then no amount of time or effort alone will allow coders to legally implement the system such that it plays the same videos. They need a contract with (i.e. permission from) an appropriate DRM provider (or more than one). Gerv
Received on Friday, 31 May 2013 15:49:14 UTC