Miro: Going Open and Mainstream with Video Standards

As television moves online, there is a race to capture eyeballs and advertising dollars with web video. Most of the big players are relying on proprietary software, gate keeping, and closed distribution schemes to securely lock in viewers and creators. In light of this mess, there is a free and open source alternative for viewing and sharing video. Miro, a FOSS and cross-platform application, puts the power where it belongs -- back into the hands of users, creators, and publishers of video. (http://getmiro.com/)

Dean Jansen, Outreach Director, Participatory Culture Foundation Dean Jansen, Outreach Director for the Participatory Culture Foundation (PCF), wants everyone to know about Miro. For those who haven't heard, Miro is a free and open source video application. In a market crowded with proprietary formats, closed software, and would-be monopolists, Miro is a powerful advocate of open standards for web video. Dean helped PCF build MakeInternetTV.org, a free resource about creating internet video. The site basically reads like a book and gives instructions for shooting, editing, uploading and promoting video online. Aside from PCF, Dean is involved with FreeCulture.org, specifically the Harvard chapter. He helps organize events geared towards spreading awareness about the problems surrounding US copyright law (and what can be done to alleviate them).