HTML 5 expanding on YouTube?
Posted: 2009-06-17
Following up on my previous post on the matter, we already know that HTML 5 has the potential to replace any need for Flash and with the support of Firefox 3.5 and Midori, boost open media standards.
Look's like YouTube might be gearing up to either expand their HTML 5 demo, and/or allow video downloads. If you go to your "My Videos" page, there is now a new "Download MP4" button on each of your uploads. YouTube uses MP4 for the video in the HTML 5 demo, and i encourage everyone to keep pressuring them to adopt Ogg Theora/Vorbis (check off "I have another idea" at the bottom). Bonus points for mentioning this Googler's false claim on the WhatWG mailing list: "If [youtube] were to switch to theora and maintain even a semblance of the current youtube quality it would take up most available bandwidth across the Internet." --Chris DiBona
Keep in mind that this will not mean that all YouTube videos will no longer be in Flash. It will just mean that Flash will no longer be the only option. There was been a lot of confusion over that.
P.S. Did you know that SVG can replace much of the interactivity that Flash provides? It's true!