[okfn-discuss] Keeping DRM out of HTML5

Thu May 16 22:07:54 UTC 2013

>     On Thu, May 16, 2013 at 3:58 PM, Gavin Chait <gavin.chait at okfn.org>
>     wrote:
>
>         Ars Technica has a good review of the stakes:
>         http://arstechnica.com/business/2013/05/drm-in-html5-is-a-victory-for-the-open-web-not-a-defeat/____

That's a terrible article from their Microsoft correspondent.

To engage with it more seriously than it deserves, DRM-encumbered Flash 
hasn't served as a stepping stone to DRM-free Flash. If EME-proposing 
companies are already streaming DRM-encumbered media why on earth do 
they need EME? And the basic argument is a category error - the web 
isn't open if it incorporates proprietary technology.

DRM in HTML5 would truly be snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.