Netflix to Support HTML 5 in Browsers and TV-based Devices

Update: NewTeeVee reports that Netflix will not be using HTML 5 for video. Adrian Cockcroft explains that DRM is the reason they can't switch to HTML 5 video yet:

“I was thinking of HTML5 features that let us build very cool user interfaces with drag-and-drop, canvas transforms etc. for the web site, and for embedded TV devices specifically. The Silverlight player is used for PC/Mac playback only, and the basic HTML5 Video doesn’t have a viable DRM solution at this point."

It looks like Netflix is the latest company moving to HTML 5, according to a blog post by Adrian Cockcroft, Netflix's Cloud Architect:

Come to Netflix where we are using HTML5 based web technologies to move ecommerce directly onto televisions in our customers’ living rooms. As of our Customer Acquisition team, you will lead the way to our internationalized television user interface designed to help new customers find Netflix and start streaming movies in seconds. This new experience will be deployed to HTML5 capable embedded browsers and served from our cutting edge cloud based backend service. 

Cockcroft did not make it clear if Netflix would move the HTML 5 on the desktop, but does note that HTML 5 is "...now supported by a large and rapidly growing percentage of the visitors to netflix.com."

One of the fun things about working at Netflix is that we are always "leaning forward" and looking for new technologies to leverage. As we roll out our website to run on the Amazon cloud, we are also re-architecting the code base, adding internationalization support and bringing in the latest technologies. One of these is HTML5, which is raising the bar for cross browser support for advanced user interface features, and is now supported by a large and rapidly growing percentage of the visitors to netflix.com. In addition many TV based devices now embed webkit, which is the HTML5 compatible technology that underpins the Safari and Chrome browsers. 

Here's the HTML 5 job posting.

Comments

[Lynne]

Will this work in Linux Operating Systems????

[Robert]

That's embeded browsers, not desktop browsers. Think iPad, not Firefox.

[Lynne]

I thought it too good to be true - Netflix.com does not seem to want do anything with Linux Operating System. It almost seems like they have some special deal with Microsoft to exclude Linux. Almost all the other type of video sites use Ubuntu Linux OS - such as Amazon.com Video On Demand, Hulu.com and major TV networks. Disappointing about Netflix.com maybe at some point they will catch up with the other sites and offer streaming on Linux too - unless they really do have some special deal with Microsoft???

[Sock Puppet]

@Lynne... Netflix CEO sits on the board at Microsoft... Once you know that, the math is easy...

[Lynne]

Oh that does explain it - I guess in 2014 when Microsoft XP expires I just use the DVDs rentals and the other video sites from Ubuntu Linux because I am not getting a new computer for upgrades of Windows because the computer I have isn't compatible with the upgrades to Microsoft.

[Hank]

"Netflix CEO sits on the board of Microsoft," which also explains why Netflix does not support the Sony PS3 or Apple's iPad and iPhone.

Why try a simple explanation when a conspiracy theory is so much more interesting?

[Lynne]

It does seem to be a conflict of interest to Netflix Customer - flexibility and affordability - unless the Netflix CEO is also part of the owners of Netflix - or family - friend relation. The CEO is helping Microsoft have a monopoly over the Internet. Microsoft probably is not happy with FREE Linux Operating Systems being out and available to the general public.

[Hank]

Lynne there are always going to be conflicts of interest, but most of them amount to very little. Netflix on Linux is a trivial concern for both Microsoft AND Netflix and Reed Hastings is not conspiring with Bill Gates (even for a few minutes) on how to screw over Netflix customers by preventing them from using Linux.

Do you also believe that Netflix is killing their social networking features because their Chief Marketing Officer is on the board of LinkedIn? I'm sure Sock Puppet does, if he were to even give them credit for being that clever.

[Lynne]

I never said it was a conspiracy the post was from Hank. I just said I now understand why there is no priority to put Netflix streaming on Linux if the CEO is a board member of Microsoft and that I was disappointed because I am not going to buy a new computer just to have an upgrade of Microsoft and my present computer isn't compatible. I will continue with the DVD rentals in 2014 and watch the free stuff such as hulu.com and crackle.com instead at that point in time because I will then be only using the Ubuntu Linux Operating System instead of a dual boot because the patches will end in April 2014 for my Microsoft XP. Sorry for the misunderstanding....

[Lynne]

Oh you are Hank - I misunderstood your previous post you were apparently being sarcastic - I think - may be you misunderstood me - I am just disappointed in the fact it looks like Netflix.com will never make linux operating system compatible with Netflix.com streaming. I will just make due with the DVDs and other Video sites in 2014. Again sorry for the misunderstanding.... Puppet is the one who posted that the CEO is a board member of Microsoft...

[Hank]

Lynne, in a round about way I'm trying to tell you that you should not listen to the BS that Sock Puppet is posting. That Netflix's CEO is on the Microsoft board has little (and most likely nothing) to do with Netflix not working on Linux. You seem(ed) to be buying that.

The reasons are much simpler and straight-forward. The Linux market is (apparently) not big enough for Netflix to spend the time working on a custom solution. If there were an easy solution that met all their requirements (the lack of DRM being the most obvious deal-breaker) this would be done already.

Nothing nefarious or incestuous going on, just simple economics.

[Lynne]

Do you also believe that Netflix is killing their social networking features because their Chief Marketing Officer is on the board of LinkedIn? I'm sure Sock Puppet does, if he were to even give them credit for being that clever.
................
I am not sure what you are saying above I am not all into all the lingo - I am just the average person trying to make out in a tough economy that is why I'm glad Netflix is around it is reasonable in price for the DVD membership alone.

I do believe Microsoft is into making money and why help the competition such as Free Linux especially since they are free that is why I am disappointed because if the CEO of Netflix is really a Microsoft Board member - there will probably never be Netflix.com streaming on Linux - hence the conflict of interest.

Many other Video sites have made the transition to Ubuntu Linux Operating System as stated before Hulu.com and Amazon.com Video On Demand and other TV Networks - Hulu Desktop and Boxee Desktop - but Netflix.com has not - and if the CEO is a board member I now see the reason why. That is all I was trying to say - and my disappointment in this possible fact.

[Ephman]

sing i'm a linux user... all ephman can say is the sooner he doesnt have to user VMWARE or his xbox to stream, the happier he'll be. visit www.ephman.com visit once stay for life.

[Hank]

Lynne, I want you to think through the scenario you're suggesting.

Yes, Microsoft wants to make money and superficially you might think that making their software available on other platforms might hurt their core business (selling Windows). Sometimes that is certainly true, but it's quite evident that at other times it's absolutely false.

Microsoft has (and continues) to make some of its software available for other platforms, sometimes for strategic reasons, sometimes for pure and immediate profit. By the logic you propose Microsoft would never have supported Silverlight (and Netflix) on Mac OS.

But all of that is almost completely irrelevant. What you are suggesting is that Reed Hastings (Netflix CEO) is preventing Netflix from developing or deploying a Linux client because it will hurt Microsoft. But Hastings has many, many more reason$ to make money for Netflix than he does make money for Microsoft. Given that, he is far more likely to use his influence with Microsoft to encourage them to support Linux more fully than the other way around.

The far simpler explanation is that there is very little profit for either Netflix or Microsoft to be made from the Linux consumer market.

[Lynne]

I am ending this trend - it seems you have a stake in either Microsoft or Netflix or both Hank - and I trending on toes or you need the last word - you can comment after me - but I am ending my post with this one. I am just saying look at all the other TV and Movie Video sites on Ubuntu Linux and they made the transition including Amazon.com Video On Demand . I am sure Amazon Video On Demand, Hulu.com, and Crackle.com are protecting their DRM rights for Videos on Demand on Ubuntu Linux Operating System -- Netflix.com has not made the transition and probably won't and it is very disappointing!

[Hank]

Sorry Lynne, I guess I made the mistake of thinking you had an open mind and were asking honest questions.

But it seems that you came here looking for some conspiracy theory to support your preconceived notions and jumped on the first one that came along (even when it doesn't fit the facts). I won't trouble you further, continue your ignorant beliefs if it helps you get through the day.

Before you go, I suggest you check on that LinkedIn connection too. No doubt that will explain (to you, at least) why you no longer have any Friends.

[Mike]

I do dual boot windows (7) and Linux, prefer Linux 100 to 1, so I guess I'll never be streaming netflix, since windoz gets booted up less often than once a month.

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[matt]

So, did the availability of Netflix for the PS3 have anything with the decision by Sony to take support for Linux from their systems?

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[S.J. Lawson]

Sad reality. It's all about DRM. And DRM is all about money, which is all businesses are about. Silverlight (MS's broken version of Java/Flash) is really easy for mediocre programmers to learn - so they don't have to pay highly skilled professionals to make really good products - instead they pay college interns to develop okay software that runs on about 90% of computers - computers which spend most of their processing time running solitaire.

The sad sad reality is that NetFlix-Watch-Instantly is cheaply made and poorly developed. BBC's iPlayer is MUCH better (Flash, for all it's problems, is still much better than Silverlight), and runs on Linux, and is just as difficult to crack. If you can find an alternative to NetFlix, I'd go with it.

[Jon]

I just think it's interesting that the DRM aspect of silverlight hasn't been ported to moonlight, but everything else has. Microsoft flatly refuses to port their DRM code to linux, and yet, there are linux systems (boxee, roku, tivo, etc) that have the needed DRM code to play netflix. Seems to me like an issue that would be easy to resolve is MS cared enough to do it.