Tech Forum

In going to:
http://www.lds.org/conference/languages ... -1,00.html

you have to install a "Move plug-in" which is only available for limited platforms.

I use a less popular platform for home and work use (linux), is there a way to access the raw video streams so those of us not on mac/windows and watch past conference talks?

on the outside chance - is there a plan to move to an option for openvideo in firefox ogg/theora bla bla?

Again, is there a way to access the raw video stream so one could watch the past conferences without the "Move plug-in"?

They are currently releasing General Conference in a variety of formats for personal use on different platforms. See THIS LINK for more information...

For example, here is the April 2009 Conference in text, MP3, MP4, MP4 (ASL), and WMV formats.

I also use Linux at home. For past conferences, I go to http://www.lds.org -> Gospel Library -> General Conference. Then, in the "General Conference Archives" list, I select English. As has been mentioned, there is a large variety of recent conference videos and audio in mp3, wmv, mp4, etc.

Some earlier conferences, around 2004 for example, have .asx files for video. This is simply a small XML file that can be viewed as plain text. I use "save link as" in Firefox to download the .asx file and save it to disk. Then, I copy the last URL (something like "mms:.../genconf...wmv") and run mplayer on that URL. I would guess the intended player does pretty much the equivalent operations.

If you have difficulties with getting specific conference video, please follow up here or PM or email me, and I'll try to help.

thanks for the replies, I now see I was thrown off by the horizontal separation on that link I gave, and that choosing the links on the bottom languages takes you to the raw media links.

- thanks again.

Forbes (www.forbes.com) have a post at dated /2009/02/22
called /kindle-oreilly-ebooks-technology-breakthroughs_oreilly.html (http://www.forbes.com/2009/02/22/kindle ... eilly.html) which makes good reading and suggests that proprietary formats and delivery mechanisms are all doomed to failure.

Speaking of deficiencies in the kindle file format he says:

This is the first "strategy tax" paid by those who embrace proprietary platforms: They can't support the needs of every niche and must prioritize their support for mainstream needs.

The single point of purchase was also a non-starter for us, since my fundamental understanding of information marketplaces is that they grow bigger and more lucrative for everyone when there is a rich ecosystem of cooperating players. (Here's the text of a talk I gave on that subject back in 2000.)

Personally, and in light of this, I'm very pleased when the church tries to offer it's media on standard formats.