for the new WebM video format .
It might sound absolute
but the most effective way of promoting
WebB is when Youtube forces the use of WebM (as the default format)
Practically speaking :
guys in Youtube team should
check the browser before someone access a video
in a manner such as only if a WebM-non-capable browser access the video
they should return
any flash-version of the video
or if it is specifically demanded by the user.
Ok it might be energy (and money) inneficient to do this for all the old videos...
but why not for the new video uploads?
there are two ways to force WebM format based on the fact that users using
Youtube are not geeks
1) the easier for the users
the way that a possible conversion on the video (in WebM format ) happens on Youtube
servers which will be too cpu hungry and it will cost a lot of money.....
2)the not so easy for the users
the way that Youtube only accepts WebM format by default
Propably the best way to mix these 2 way while still forcing the use if WebM format
is to put an option in user preferences in such a way that a Youtube user
could upload a video that is not WebM if the user checks or uncheck a button.
For example there can be a buuton that has a default value of "Disallow uploading non-WebM video Formats"
so that only if the user really is desperate with the WebM format he can find it in his user preferences
But here there is another problem
,the problem that most people don't
have experience in video conversion and thus there is a very high possibility
that solely forcing the WebM might produce different results...(for example angry and or desperate users that will choose to go away from Youtube ...).
What it could be useful (not to make users angry or go away...and still promote WebM) is to promote also an very easy to use video conversion
program that converts most if not all formats to the WebM format...
A very good starting point in promoting WebM is to ensure that WebM playback is better
than the flash video player in all major browsers especially in Google Chrome.
Issues like 100% cpu usage is not very promising...
wile not being a problem of the WebM codec itself it is bringing down
the WebM promoting effort...
Once this problem is solved WebM promotion can be "forced" a little bit easier to the public
Concluding:
I doubt that Google succeeds to "persuade" people to use WebM format
without forcing to be used in Youtube .
Forcing Youtube users to change a 5 years old flash habit is
for sure quite challenging effort.
Will Google succeed to promote WebM
if yes when?
There is always
...hope !!!
