Q.

What is Open Source Media Framework (OSMF)?

A.

OSMF is a standard open-source framework that simplifies media player creation for the Adobe® Flash® Platform. Its extensible plug-in architecture provides production-ready code that meets recurring development challenges, while helping publishers to monetize their video content with seamless integration with partner services. With support for the latest player features such as Dynamic Streaming and DVR functionality, OSMF enables Adobe tool users and ecosystem partners to fully utilize the powerful video features of the Flash Platform.

Q.	What is the difference between the announcement made at NAB for Strobe and this new announcement for OSMF?
A.	At NAB Adobe announced a project under the code name Strobe. OSMF is the new release name for Strobe and represents the open source component of the previously named Strobe initiative.

Q.	How is this different from the Open Video Player (OVP) initiative for Flash, of which Akamai & Adobe were founding members?
A.	Both efforts are complementary. Adobe and Akamai will be developing a commercial framework that contains the best of Open Video Player for Flash and Open Source Media Framework code base. Once released this code base will be made available for download from the Open Source Media Framework site.

Q.	What does this announcement mean for the OVP initiative overall?
A.	It is the intent of both Adobe and Akamai to ensure ongoing alignment of OVP and OSMF. Moving forward, Akamai and Adobe will work together to ensure coordination around OSMF and together move the industry toward a recognized standard around media player development.

Q.	What does this mean for the existing versions of OVP for Flash?
A.	It is our goal that the next version of OVP for Flash will incorporate the full framework and player of the OSMF code.

Q.	What type of features will be included in OSMF?
A.	OSMF will initially focus on enabling common playback experiences including transport controls, CDN integration, ad server implementation, and quality of service features, along with support for new features in Adobe Flash Media Server 3.5 such as Dynamic Streaming and DVR functionality. The community will be able to develop plug-ins for OSMF to support additional custom functionality.

Q.

Under which open source license is OSMF offered?

A.

MPL Version 1.1 will govern the use of the OSMF code. This license is used by many open source projects that need to balance the needs of the open source community and commercial software vendors. MPL and its derivatives (Eclipse Public License and Common Public License) are used by many well-known open source projects, including the Flex® SDK, with both thriving open source communities and significant commercial users.

Q.	How does OSMF benefit developers?
A.	Developers can use the standards-based framework in their own projects, leveraging solid, tried-and-true playback features with plug-in extensibility without having to spend time coding custom solutions. Developers can finish projects faster that include video. Integrations with 3rd party services and player add-ons are plug-and-play for developers.

Q.

Do I have to use Adobe products to use OSMF?

A.

You can develop OSMF media players using third-party tools for ActionScript® development. In the future, you will also be able to work with OSMF in third-party web development tools. The OSMF project will also include a pre-built player that you can embed in a webpage without having to do any ActionScript coding. (But for full-featured access to all the configuration options, ActionScript skills are necessary.)

Q.	Why is Adobe supporting the OSMF framework?
A.	Adobe believes that open standards and best practices are necessary to facilitate the development for video player applications that reduces the cost and complexity of player development. With OSMF, developers and publishers can focus on the overall user experience of video on their sites and spend less time on redundant coding and API integration in building their media players.

Q.

Do organizations and developers that build applications with OSMF need to release their projects as open source?

A.

In most cases, you are free to develop applications based on OSMF without having to release your code as open source. You can distribute commercial applications built on OSMF provided you don’t modify the OSMF framework code. In most cases, you will not need to modify the framework itself to build custom applications because OSMF is componentized and extensible. You are, however, required to release any source code modifications made to the ActionScript source files provided as part of the OSMF framework. These modifications must be released under the MPL. This obligation does not extend to other files created by you, even if they are combined into a single executable or bytecode file. For a complete explanation of your rights and obligations under the MPL, you should consult a legal professional. If the MPL does not meet your business needs, you can contact Adobe to discuss a custom license.

Q.	How does this framework benefit participants in other open source projects?
A.	Under the terms of the MPL, open source project owners can use OSMF to develop parts of their applications, extend OSMF and contribute to the community, or incorporate some or all of the components themselves into their projects, provided they continue to comply with the license terms of the MPL.

Q.	Can I redistribute the OSMF source code myself?
A.	Yes, you are allowed to redistribute the OSMF source code, provided you do so under the terms of the MPL.

Q.	Is Adobe competing with Akamai's Open Video Player (OVP) initiative?
A.	Adobe and Akamai are working together on OSMF and the Open Video Player Initiative — this offering is complementary. Adobe is focused on creating an open framework and standards around Flash components and promoting player standards for the whole ecosystem.

Q.	How much does OSMF cost?
A.	OSMF is open source, and free. There is no cost associated with downloading the code or components.

Q.	How often will OSMF components be updated?
A.	Development of OSMF is ongoing. Each month we will make code contributions to the community.

Q.	What types of customers is OSMF designed for?
A.	Developers — make use of the community to utilize, share, post, and edit code.

Q.

How can I get involved in the future direction for OSMF?

A.

Flash and Flex developers and community members can get involved in a number of ways: Start using the OSMF today. You can help identify issues and their specific causes, logging bugs through the OSMF bug management system. Support the community by answering questions on the various OSMF forums, submitting plug-ins, and blogging. Start an external and complementary OSMF open source project. There are lots of plug-ins that would be a huge help to the OSMF community. Start these externally today, and they might be candidates for inclusion in the framework in the future. Contribute bug fixes to the OSMF (see below). Review and comment on specifications published by the OSMF team during development of future OSMF releases.

Q.

What are plans for receiving contributions to the code?

A.

Initially, we will begin to accept contributions as attachments to bug reports and enhancement requests in our public bug database. To contribute, developers will be asked to first agree to a contribution agreement as part of the submission process. A committer will then review the submission and if deemed satisfactory will be checked into the source. For more information, please review the open source site, including the submitting a patch page.

Q.

Will OSMF accept external developers as committers to the project?

A.

Yes, the OSMF expects to add external committers to the project as it rolls out the infrastructure and governance process for the OSMF project. The initial committers will be the OSMF development teams at Adobe and Akamai. If an external developer has contributed worthwhile bug fixes via the public bug database, the OSMF management team may decide to promote that developer to be a full committer. For more information, please review the roles page on the open source site.

Q.	What governance model will be used for managing the OSMF project?
A.	The schedule and roadmap of OSMF will continue to be defined by its founding members in close collaboration with OSMF committers. As part of the development process, the team plans to publish the schedule and development priorities that will drive future development in order to solicit feedback and contributions from the community.