Erik Huggers, the director of future media & technology at the BBC, has written a candid blog about the situation with HTML 5, explaining that the standard will be accepted by the broadcaster but changes have to be made.
He explains that the reason Flash is used for the iPlayer and BBC online is not because of favouritism but because it is the "most efficient way to deliver a high quality experience to the broadest possible audience."
This doesn't mean that HTML5 will never be used by the BBC but it seems that the technology needs to step up a gear before the broadcaster takes it seriously.
As Huggers states in the blog, he feels HTML5 "is starting to sail off course".
HTML5 concerns
"The fact is that there's still a lot of work to be done on HTML5 before we can integrate it fully into our products," explains Huggers.
"As things stand I have concerns about HTML5's ability to deliver on the vision of a single open browser standard which goes beyond the whole debate around video playback."
His main concern is that there has been much talk about HTML5 but the standard has yet to live up to its potential to, as Huggers explains, "bring the web together in a way that will better allow [the BBC] to serve our audiences and business partners."
This is something that Google has also brought up with regards to using HTML5 on YouTube.
Slow pace
"Despite grand overtures from Microsoft toward HTML5 support, their new browser is yet to ship and so the jury is out," states Huggers.
"The tension between individual motivation and collective consensus has brought an end to many noble causes in the past, and here, the pace of progress appears to be slowing on bringing HTML5 to a ratified state."
Huggers blog seems to be more of a call of arms for HTML5 Working Group and the WC3 (World Wide Web Consortium) to push ahead with what it has been promising, rather than a criticism of the technology.
Although, if things don't speed up on the HTML5 front, this may well change.
Your comments (6) Click to add a new comment
windymiller
August 16th 2010
6. @ wesley
Taking the waz mate.Can't stand the bloke.
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wesley
August 15th 2010
5. @Windymiller You worship a false god (Steve Jobs)
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windymiller
August 14th 2010
4. But steve jobs said flash was dead!HTML5 was the coming messiah!aaaarrrrgh the sky's falling in!!!
This thing is going to take years to finalise.
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comnut
August 14th 2010
3. I remind people that HTML5 is NOT the ONLY thing you need.... If it was, I am sure BBC et al would now be using it!!
HTML5 is only a 'spec' so that it can then pass the video content onto a codec, so it can be played.. and this codec has to be specified, usually one with an expensive license, or an open source one that is hated by the author of the code!!!
you also need an up-to-date browser and OS that will run that, where even 10 year old systems will run flash with no problems!!!
No, flash will not die soon.. go ahead, switch off flash entirely, and see how many forums, company websites, etc will either look awful or just not work... nothing to do with the video part of flash...
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mobius
August 13th 2010
2. @northerngeek, that's not what he said. Read the whole quote "most efficient way to deliver a high quality experience to the broadest possible audience". It's not solely about the product capability but also market penetration, hence the "broadest possible audience". Flash is installed on far many more devices than Silverlight. Flash has its issues but if I want to create something for public consumption or even just a private client with a few dozen users, I'd definitely choose Flash over Silverlight unless there were very specific reasons to choose otherwise.
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northerngeek
August 13th 2010
1. Really? Flash is the most effective means of transmitting video? I always expected that to be Silverlight, I love flash and it definitely trounces SL for things like animation but I can't stand flash video.
Regardless I like that the BBC isn't jumping before they know the water's safe. HTML5 will be great but only if we don't sour things by trying it before the world's ready.
(Heck we all remember what it was like in the days of embedding media players, I'll gladly accept Flash until HTML5 is perfect)
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