[Theora] Other extension for Ogg Theora then "ogg"

[Markus Meyer]

RC schrieb:

>Yes, but you don't have AVIs played by XMMS, which doesn't also handly
>video.  I think it is very importantly to at least make a distinction
>between audio-only ogg files, and video ogg (ogm/ogv) files.
>  
>
I agree it's necessary for practical reasons. Actually I believe it's 
counterproductive and escapism for multiple reasons to not distinguish 
the file formats:

1. People are used to have different extensions for audio and video, as 
it is now. The average user just says "I don't use OGG because it 
doesn't support different extensions." even though this technically is 
wrong.

2. The technology to distinguish files by content is often not in place 
today. And where it is implemented (I believe Windows since IE-something 
has the capability through shell extensions, and Gnome and KDE may have 
something similar) it is not widely used, tested, known or 
user-accessible. A normal Windows user, for example, can only associate 
files by extensions through the "Open With..." dialog. So distinguishing 
the files by extension is a best-we-can-get solution for today's 
systems, and infact there definitely is no alternative as of now.

3. Since people need (deficient file managers) and/or want (use 
different players for audio and video) the feature right now, they 
create their own pseudo-standards. This is much worse than having an 
"official" standard.

4. Having two different extensions will do no harm for people that don't 
care about extensions. They can still distinguish files by content 
rather than extension, and also can associate the extensions to the same 
player, if they want. It doesn't work like this the other way around, 
though.

Of course all of this is defeated by the old "it's free software, you 
don't have to use it if you don't want to" argument. But I really do 
want for people to use Theora, and I therefore do hope that every 
possible step is done by the people in charge to make Theora as 
user-friendly as can be, even if it means sacrificing some belief in 
technical pureness.


Markus