Flash or Quicktime?

[Stephen Barncard]

And another thing to think about:  Flash, Real, DIVX, whatever, 
eventually will complain if the user's system needs an update on the 
web, and they'll have  to download and install something sooner or 
later. Example:  I just installed Leopard 10.5.2, that masssive thing 
just released by Apple, yet going to a particular site, I got the 
message to update to the 'latest' version of Flash.  I don't think 
one can always reliably count on the OS to provide these tweezy 
add-ons without upgrades. People who regularly use video on the web 
are used to this.

Remember all the garbage one had to do to get CNN streaming to work 
when they started their new free service? It requres Java, FLASH 
AND   Microsoft Media Player and  at one point required one to tweak 
quicktime's plist  to get it to work.   I'm sure the difficulty in 
use was due partly to the house of cards lashing of these 
technologies -- all to force the user to use their stupid imbedded 
player (and keep them from viewing full screen or open multiple 
windows  (which one could do before with quicktime/wmv paid 
'Pipeline'.)

Native, pure quicktime works really well by itself in its native formats.

It's true; Iphones and I pods are expanding  the PC use of Quicktime 
to the point where users accept it as much or more than any other 
media add-on, such as DIVX.

Quicktime has been around since the late 80's, concurrent with the 
introduction of CD-Roms. It's the oldest, most mature computer media 
technology that's around, with almost 20 years of development behind 
it.

Besides, using Quicktime will allow you take advantage of Trevor's 
excellent and cross-platform Quicktime library!

http://www.bluemangolearning.com/developer/revolution/enhancedqt.php




>You could make them as H264 based movies (with AAC sound), either 
>.MOV or .MP4. Both would play fine via QuickTime, and both can play 
>in the current Flash player. You could build it now as QuickTime 
>only, and then change your mind later if you were still worried 
>about people installing QuickTime.
>
>You know that all people who use iPhones or iPods with their PCs do 
>have QuickTime installed? Even those with just iTunes do, so the 
>number of people with QuickTime  installed is higher than you might 
>think. Also, you can include the QuickTime installer on your DVD-ROM.

-- 


stephen barncard
s a n  f r a n c i s c o
- - -  - - - - - - - - -