Viacom: YouTube(Google) vs Joost (Skype)
I’ve spoken a number of times that Google’s patent need to create massive backend services is short sighted, and their unwillingness to move heavily into peer2peer solutions is outdated. Maybe it’s just the thought of acres and acres (literally) of hard drives that creeps me out. Usually I am talking in reference to Google Search…
I’ve spoken a number of times that Google’s patent need to create massive backend services is short sighted, and their unwillingness to move heavily into peer2peer solutions is outdated. Maybe it’s just the thought of acres and acres (literally) of hard drives that creeps me out. Usually I am talking in reference to Google Search vs Social Search. But here’s another model: YouTube servers (Google) versus Joost peer2peer (Skype). What makes me laugh is that Viacom has moved from YouTube (leaving behind a 1 billion dollar lawsuit) and gone to Joost. Lovely wikigoodness:
Joost (pronounced ‘juiced’) is an interactive software for distributing TV shows and other forms of video over the Web using peer-to-peer tv technology, created by Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis (founders of Skype and Kazaa)….
Viacom Inc. and Joost entered into a content provider agreement for the Joost platform on February 20, 2007. Under the agreement divisions of Viacom (including MTV Networks, BET Networks and Paramount Pictures) will license their “television and theatrical programing” to Joost.[4] This came shortly after Viacom requested 100,000 potentially infringing videos to be removed from YouTube.com, which showed a preference by Viacom for the Joost platform over YouTube.[5]
Joost also currently has licensing agreements in place with Ministry of Sound TV, Warner Music and the production company Endemol.[6]
Well guys, if don’t they understand that if a centralised video hosting service can’t control the content, how can a peer2peer video distribution service? (Simplistically, peer2peer meaning that the consumer passes the content, all sliced up, directly to other Joost consumers , as opposed to downloading from a YouTube server). Good luck to ’em.
A little edit: I don’t have a picture for you because Joost is a freaking Flash site. ><
I signed up for the beta – ends today or tomorrow. You go on the end of a long list UNLESS you know someone who has a “beta token”. Sooooo, anyone out there got one? For me? Pleeeaaase?
Joost is Not flash
It uses alot of SVG like Abode Flash does and Mozzila XUL RUNNER for the client .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scalable_Vector_Graphics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XUL_Runner
More on some of the tech behind Joost here
http://opensource.joost.com/
Joost isn’t flash. But joost.com is. When I right click on the Joost logo to post it here on my blog, it says about adobe flash player 9. Sites that don’t let me copy and paste informational text, or don’t let me link to an image or logo make me cross. I’m sorry I wasn’t clear. 🙂
Joost has platform limits currently. It’s available for Windows and Intel Macs, but not older Macs. I got a Joost invite but I can’t use it. Unfortunately I can’t pass it on either. You can’t really compare something available to almost everyone (YouTube) with something limited to specific platforms. Just ask the ATO.
Well it only began development in Oct last year. What sort of Mac do you have? I love my Mac but don’t use it a lot (its the one with the tubby tummy). BTW the Joost invite said “Don’t want to wait? Try getting hold of an invitation from another tester. All new beta-testers now get tokens allowing them to invite friends and acquaintances, and these tokens will give you instant access to Joost™. Get ahead of the curve – beg your friends for an invite today!” Did they fib and not give out tokens?
Hi Laurel
Nice article, and thanks for the comment on my blog. A joost competitor you may want to check out is http://www.Babelgum.com. I have a login to that if you want to email me!
Looking from the inside out(of the online video industry), i think the lawsuit from Viacom was inevitable, and the floodgates are now open. I think Viacom will win it hands down.
Check out the latest post on my blog (as of 1 minute ago!) http://brandnewobservations.blogspot.com – there is a video i think you should see.