Mozilla

Video, user experience and our mission

March 18th, 2012

Mozilla is on the cusp of changing our policy about our use of video codecs and making use of a format  known as “H.264.” We have tried to avoid this for a number of years, as H.264 is encumbered by patents.  The state of video on the Web today and in mobile devices in particular is pushing us to change our policy.  Brendan has written a post detailing why many of us have come to support this position.  I’d like to emphasize one point that’s implicit in Brendan’s post and which I think would be useful to call out more specifically.

One key value at Mozilla is giving our users a great experience.  We want to build products that people love and that build openness and user sovereignty into the Web.  “Products that people love”  is a key part of this sentence.  It’s not a throw away phrase.  It has meaning.  It is a demanding goal and it must drive us — just as the latter part about openness and user sovereignty drive us.

For the past few years we have focused our codec efforts on the latter part of this sentence.  We’ve declined to adopt a technology that improves user experience in the hopes this will bring greater user sovereignty.  Not many would try this strategy, but we did.  Brendan’s piece details why our current approach of not supporting encumbered codec formats hasn’t worked, and why today’s approach regarding existing encumbered formats is even less likely to work in the future.

Given this, it’s time to shift our weighting.  It’s time to focus on shipping products people can love now, and to work on developing a new tactic for bringing unencumbered technology to the world of audio and video codecs.  It always feels better when we can build exactly the product we want and people love it.  It’s possible to fall into the view that the only way to live up to Mozilla values is to ship the product we think people should want.  This aspect is one element, but it’s not the only one.  Another critical element is shipping products that work for people now so they can love them.  This makes our values something people can want, not medicine that one takes because one should.  This element is a key part of Mozilla’s mission.

Our first approach at bringing open codecs to the Web has ended up at an impasse on mobile, but we’re not done yet.  We shouldn’t beat ourselves up for somehow failing to live up to Mozilla’s values.  We’ll find a way around this impasse.  We have some of the world’s most creative and dedicated people working on open video and video technologies.  We’ll rebuild the maze if we have to.  We’ll  keep working hard to bring unencumbered codecs to the Web.  We’ll be more effective at building products people can love as we do this.  We should do so proudly.

115 comments for “Video, user experience and our mission”

  1. 1

    Pingback from Mozilla将拥抱H.264_互联网资讯最新报道_野火集

    […] Web使命相矛盾。Mozilla主席Mitchell Baker和CEO Brendan Eich承认, […]

  2. 2

    Pingback from Firefox soportará H.264 - Candás 365 - El Digital de Asturias.

    […] Post Mitchell Baker (http://blog.lizardwrangler.com/2012/03/18/video-user-experience-and-our-mission/1234/). Más […]

  3. 3

    Pingback from Mozilla May Support H.264 Video Codec in Firefox to Compete on Mobile Phones « « Fix-Singh - Gadget RepairsFix-Singh – Gadget Repairs

    […] a new tactic for bringing unencumbered technology to the world of audio and video codecs,” Mitchell Baker wrote in a blog post on […]

  4. 4

    Pingback from Mozilla May Support H.264 Video Codec in Firefox to Compete on Mobile Phones - LATEST MOBILE PHONES PRICES – LATEST MOBILE PHONES PRICES

    […] on building a new tactic for bringing easy record to a universe of audio and video codecs,” Mitchell Baker wrote in a blog post on […]

  5. 5

    Pingback from Mozilla May Support H.264 Video Codec in Firefox to Compete on Mobile Phones | Geeklin

    […] tactic for bringing unencumbered technology to the world of audio and video codecs, » Mitchell Baker wrote in a blog post on […]

  6. 6

    Pingback from Firefox soportará H.264 « Computación al día y a la Vanguardia

    […] – Post Mitchell Baker (http://blog.lizardwrangler.com/2012/03/18/video-user-experience-and-our-mission/1234/). […]

  7. 7

    Pingback from Mozilla May Support H.264 Video Codec in Firefox to Compete on Mobile Phones

    […] a new tactic for bringing unencumbered technology to the world of audio and video codecs,” Mitchell Baker wrote in a blog post on […]

  8. 8

    Pingback from Mozilla may support H.264 video codec in Firefox for mobile phones | molecular studios

    […] a new tactic for bringing unencumbered technology to the world of audio and video codecs,” Mitchell Baker wrote in a blog post on […]

  9. 9

    Pingback from Mozilla将拥抱H.264 « My Blog

    […] Web使命相矛盾。Mozilla主席Mitchell Baker和CEO Brendan Eich承认, […]

  10. 10

    Pingback from Firefox to gain H.264 video support – - TechNewsX - Technology News AggregatorTechNewsX – Technology News Aggregator

    […] Right now, Firefox is in a bit of an odd place when it comes to HTML5 video: it supports Ogg Theora and Google's WebM codecs, but not H.264, unlike other major browsers—Internet Explorer, Chrome, and Safari. That's about to change. In a recent blog post, Mozilla Foundation Chair Mitchell Baker writes the following: […]

  11. 11

    Pingback from Mozilla acepta que Firefox necesita integrar soporte a H.264 para sobrevivir en la era móvil

    […] un sistema propietario y que requiere el pago de patentes. Durante el fin de semana, Brendan Eich y Mitchell Baker escribieron en el blog de Mozilla explicando por qué ahora sí es necesario contar con este […]

  12. 12

    Pingback from Mozilla caves, will support H.264 to avoid ‘irrelevance’ - Home Based Business Time

    […]  |  Mozilla Hacks, Mitchell’s Blog  | Email […]

  13. 13

    Pingback from Mozilla will H.264-Videocodec unterstützen | virtualfiles.net

    […] der Mozilla Foundation, Mitchell Baker, und Mozillas Chief Technology Officer Brendan Eich zu Wort. Laut Baker steht Mozilla kurz davor, H.264 einzusetzen, obwohl man sich Open Source verschrieben und sich im […]

  14. 14

    Westside guy said on March 20th, 2012 at 11:29 am:

    Thank you, Mozilla, for making the pragmatic choice – even through it runs counter to your personal feelings. I think your new tack follows the correct course of action, and is in the best interest of your customers (like me).

    If you find a way to encourage WebM deployment – especially if WebM is improved to the point its on par with h.264 quality-wise (which is currently is not, by any stretch of the imagination) – it’ll be a win-win.

  15. 15

    Pingback from 大象点我 | 互联网动态,Apple软件,Android软件,Ubuntu软件 » Mozilla将拥抱H.264

    […] Mozilla对H.264的讨论一开始主要集中在Boot2Gecko移动平台和Android版Firefox,但随着讨论的深入,桌面版本也纳入了考虑范围。问题的争议之处是私有专利技术与Mozilla的open Web使命相矛盾。Mozilla主席Mitchell Baker和CEO Brendan Eich承认,移动的成功迫使他们放弃WebM成为HTML5流视频标准的追求,而VP8从未在桌面对H.264构成威胁。80%的HTML5视频内容是H.264编码,H.264是移动竞争所必不可少的。Eich称,Google未能在Android上推动WebM排斥H.264,Mozilla无法等到Google成功的那一天。 […]

  16. 16

    Pingback from Mozilla may support H.264 video codec in Firefox for mobile phones - LATEST MOBILE PHONES PRICES – LATEST MOBILE PHONES PRICES

    […] on building a new tactic for bringing easy record to a universe of audio and video codecs,” Mitchell Baker wrote in a blog post on […]

  17. 17

    Pingback from Mozilla Reluctantly Considers Supporting H.264 in Firefox

    […] a change of strategy, the Mozilla Foundation has announced that it is “on the cusp” of supporting the H.264 video codec in its Firefox web browser. This is a drastic shift from its […]

  18. 18

    Pingback from Mozilla adota o padrão de vídeo H.264 para o Firefox | Obvius

    […] adotando, mesmo contra sua vontade, o formato de vídeos H264 em seus produtos. Em publicação no blog oficial Lizard Wangler, Mitchell Baker, presidente da Mozilla Foundation, comunicou que a companhia decidiu adotar este […]

  19. 19

    Pingback from Mozilla acepta que Firefox necesita integrar soporte para H.264 para sobrevivir en la era móvil | Tecnomize.net ! – Programacion , Telefonia , Informatica en General y Mucho Mas

    […] un sistema propietario y que requiere el pago de patentes. Durante el fin de semana, Brendan Eich y Mitchell Baker escribieron en el blog de Mozilla explicando por qué ahora sí es necesario contar con este […]

  20. 20

    Pingback from Mozilla acepta que Firefox necesita integrar soporte para H.264 para sobrevivir en la era móvil

    […] un sistema propietario y que requiere el pago de patentes. Durante el fin de semana, Brendan Eich y Mitchell Baker escribieron en el blog de Mozilla explicando por qué ahora sí es necesario contar con este […]

  21. 21

    Pingback from Le support du H.264 dans Firefox gagne du terrain au sein de Mozilla - Gnews

    […] PDG de Mozilla, Mitchell Baker, reconnaît sur son blog que le support du H.264 a volontairement été évité pendant de nombreuses années, notamment à […]

  22. 22

    Pingback from Mozilla adota o padrão de vídeo H.264 para o Firefox | Consultoria Jr

    […] adotando, mesmo contra sua vontade, o formato de vídeos H264 em seus produtos. Em publicação no blog oficial Lizard Wangler, Mitchell Baker, presidente da Mozilla Foundation, comunicou que a companhia decidiu adotar este […]

  23. 23

    Pingback from Mozilla Adota Padrão De Vídeo H.264 Para O Firefox «

    […] contra a sua vontade, o formato de vídeos H.264 em seus produtos. Em publicação no blog oficial Lizard Wangler, Mitchell Backer, presidente da Mozilla Foundation, comunicou que a companhia decidiu adotar esse […]

  24. 24

    Pingback from Mozilla adota o padrão de vídeo H.264 para o Firefox | FAZ Hosting e Designer Blog

    […] A Mozilla está adotando, mesmo contra sua vontade, o formato de vídeos H264 em seus produtos. Em publicação no blog oficial Lizard Wangler, Mitchell Baker, presidente da Mozilla Foundation, comunicou que a companhia decidiu adotar este […]

  25. 25

    Pingback from Mozilla 将拥抱 H.264 | 蛋丁-互联网的一道菜

    […] Web使命相矛盾。Mozilla的Mitchell Baker和CEO Brendan Eich承认, […]

  26. 26

    Pingback from Mozilla 将拥抱 H.264 | 极地 EA163

    […] Web使命相矛盾。Mozilla主席Mitchell Baker和CEO Brendan Eich承认, […]

  27. 27

    Pingback from Mozilla adota o padrão de vídeo H.264 para o Firefox | NEWGEN - O Blog

    […] Via Mozilla […]

  28. 28

    Pingback from Mesmo contra sua vontade, Mozilla adota padrão de vídeos H.264 no Firefox | Guia do PC

    […] No Firefox, a Mozilla quis implementar outros codecs de vídeo HTML5: o VP8 e o Theora, mesmo sabendo que o H.264 já estava crescendo bastante e sendo o mais importante até então. Pois é, a Mozilla talvez já sabia que isso ia acontecer antes, mas arriscou e não deu certo. Agora, ela se rendeu ao “padrão” H.264, pelo menos é o que diz o presidente. […]

  29. 29

    Pingback from Mesmo contra sua vontade, Mozilla adota padrão de vídeos H.264 no Firefox | Blogueiros BR

    […] No Firefox, a Mozilla quis implementar outros codecs de vídeo HTML5: o VP8 e o Theora, mesmo sabendo que o H.264 já estava crescendo bastante e sendo o mais importante até então. Pois é, a Mozilla talvez já sabia que isso ia acontecer antes, mas arriscou e não deu certo. Agora, ela se rendeu ao “padrão” H.264, pelo menos é o que diz o presidente. […]

  30. 30

    Adam said on March 21st, 2012 at 12:10 pm:

    I think this is a great decision that takes the long view toward their ultimate goal, keeping the web open and belonging to the users, by making this slight compromise in the short term. It seems very similar to the tack that the Linux community has taken toward non-free software. For example, Debian Linux has a social contract that while Debian is 100% free, and “non-free works are not a part of Debian, [they] support their use and provide infrastructure for non-free packages.” (Debian Social Contract) This pragmatism is the only way to gain a wide adoption by users, most of whom just want a product that works well. Users who only unknowingly reap the benefits of Mozilla’s efforts to make the web more open and free.

  31. 31

    Larry Peterson said on March 21st, 2012 at 3:27 pm:

    Explain sentence-What “we” think, users are “suppose” to “like.” An easier way to go: We are going to do this. Learn to like it-just go here, and pingback there-read Beth, read Mitchel. Maybe I liked the time when I was free to read what/who I wanted. Now,I will be doing things YOU want, and that is so wrong. Stop the scam. In 70 yrs. If I had a buck for everything that someone said,”We are doing this for you.” I’d be rich! You govern-I serve. I’ve heard that -this is what you will love- so much, this is meaningless. I don’t want an experience. I don’t want to twitter. For the last 3yrs.,I have learned to use just Firefox, but I can change-but don’t pretend this was my decision.

  32. 32

    Pingback from User sovereignty vs user experience | Beyond the Code

    […] the goal on this blog is to discuss Mozilla’s mission, I’ll refer to Mitchell Baker latest post, where she has articulated the relationship between using patent-encumbered standards and user […]

  33. 33

    Pingback from Mozilla a Victim of the MPEG-LA Cartel | Techrights

    […] Video, user experience and our mission […]

  34. 34

    Thomas said on March 22nd, 2012 at 1:55 pm:

    @Epicanis: yep, https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=737663 .

  35. 35

    Pingback from Mozilla adota o padrão de vídeo H.264 para o Firefox | InvasaoHacking.com - Downloads, Video Aulas e Tutoriais sobre Hacker, Trojans, Keyloggers, Worms, Malwares, Virus, phishing, Exploit, Shells, Defacer, banking, carding, Hackear orkut, Hackear Msn, H

    […] adotando, mesmo contra sua vontade, o formato de vídeos H264 em seus produtos. Em publicação no blog oficial Lizard Wangler, Mitchell Baker, presidente da Mozilla Foundation, comunicou que a companhia decidiu adotar este […]

  36. 36

    Pingback from Strike Against Software Patents for M1GS (May 1st, 2012) | Braydon Fuller

    […] http://blog.lizardwrangler.com/2012/03/18/video-user-experience-and-our-mission/ […]

  37. 37

    William Lacy said on March 23rd, 2012 at 3:47 pm:

    Once a Browser Company Exposes Everyone to a Potential Future “Cable-Bill”, it has played into the
    hands of, and Given the Keys of Linux on mobile x86 and ARM to a Private Patent Holding Group.

    Giving a Private Patent Group “Free-Reign” over Global Linux Initiatives on ARM and mobile x86
    with a situation completely out of Mozilla’s Control, is not worth any possible concept of “Gaining”
    Market-Share.

    Firefox on ARM Linux can be in the BILLIONS, because of India, $10 ARM computers and the new
    Global Low-Power, Low-Cost Computing Initiatives World-Wide. (It is actually the other-way around
    than H.264 “Winning”). India is not going to be placed in the Position of paying a “Cable-Bill”
    in the Future on a Billion or more ARM computers because of Firefox. Refrigerators, DashBoards,
    Security, Industrial, Tablets, $20 ARM Notebooks, etc…, will have Firefox in the Future as a Touch
    Interface and control system with OGG and WebM “Elements”. Mozilla will place Businesses at Risk
    when enabling video formats controlled by a Privately Controlled Patent Group. Firefox cannot protect
    End-Users and Businesses with a Patent Situation not under their control. Why place ARM/x86 Linux
    under the control of a Privately Controlled Patent Group, and hand them the keys to Linux Distros and
    the ability to control End-Users. When you look at the HUGE, Global situation Up-Coming on Linux
    on ARM and mobile x86, Firefox with OGG and WebM is in a Powerful Future Situation, where it is
    better to stand for EVERYONE Globally, instead of hand the keys of Linux, and the Future to a Private
    Patent Group. Linux is not about paying a Privately Controlled Patent Group in the Future with a
    Surprise “Cable-Bill”, which Mozilla has Absolutely no control over, and cannot protect End-Users
    from.

    Don’t play into the Profit “Chess-Game”, and place a Patent-Group in the position to collect Globally
    on Linux and Open-Source, Firefox Global use is not a “Cash-Register” for Privately Held Patents,
    and Mozilla will loose World-Wide respect and Programmers who believe in the “Original” Focus.

  38. 38

    Pingback from RTFA « Odd Cog Blog

    […] into a position where they need to add in support for H.264, you can read more about this story here and here. I was surprised both by the controversy that this has created and by the number of people […]

  39. 39

    Pingback from Videoclipurile, experința utilizatorului și misiunea noastră | | Mozilla RomâniaMozilla România

    […] postare pe blogul personal, Mitchell Baker își exprimă gândurile referitoare la videoclipurile pe web […]

  40. 40

    Rebentisch said on March 26th, 2012 at 4:56 am:

    This doesn’t sound good. Certainly Mozilla could do more to defend the open net.

  41. 41

    Pingback from Poniedzielnik: wieści ze świata OpenSource. Numer 42 :: Czytelnia Ubuntu

    […] wsparcie dla H.264 trafi do Firefoxa? Być może. W przyszłości Firefox miałby wykorzystywać kodeki zainstalowane w systemie do dekodowania […]

  42. 42

    Pingback from Mobilní Firefox by mohl podporovat H.264 | Blog počítačového nadšence 2.0

    […] Zdroj: Lizard Wrangler […]

  43. 43

    Pingback from Mozilla 基金會執行長Mitchell Baker部落格分享: 網路視頻(H.264格式)與 Mozilla 精神 | 訊息中心 | Mozilla Taiwan

    […] http://blog.lizardwrangler.com/2012/03/18/video-user-experience-and-our-mission/1234/ […]

  44. 44

    Pingback from Mozilla caves, will support H.264 to avoid ‘irrelevance’ | iPerBlog

    […]  |  Mozilla Hacks, Mitchell’s Blog  | Email this | Comments Engadget affiliate […]

  45. 45

    Pingback from The Most Libertarian Desktop Web Browser

    […] has caved on H.264 video support and will be introducing it to future versions of Firefox. See here and here. [/Edit]Nearly Libertarian BrowsersGoogle Chromium – Notice that this is ChromIUM […]

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    Pingback from Mozilla caves, will support H.264 to avoid ‘irrelevance’ » iPad 3 Fan

    […] EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Inquirer  |  Mozilla Hacks, Mitchell's Blog  | Email […]

  47. 47

    Pingback from Video, user experience and our mission | Mozilla Press Center

    […] Baker posted her thoughts about Web video and the Mozilla mission. Below is an excerpt from her blog post. One key value at Mozilla is giving our users a great experience.  We want to build products that […]

  48. 48

    Chris said on April 22nd, 2012 at 6:12 am:

    I don’t get why Google never really pushed WebM? Maybe all it wanted to do was buy it, release it and forget about it, just so there was an alternative to H.264? I mean WebM isn’t supported in Google Search, or video sitemaps, and YouTube still doesn’t have a full catalogue of WebM video! Oh well, good move I think for Mozilla to support H.264 if it can, considering how will it is supported and used.

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