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The web didn't had at first a common format for images ... but now all modern browsers have support for GIF, JPEG, and PNG.

And it was probably a smart move on their part to avoid political issues. Apple will add Theora support if the demand increases. Mozilla will add H.264 support when the IP-issues are cleared.

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Is there a moment to "clear" the H.264 issues? I have the understanding that the people who own the copyright are making plenty of money off of it and it quite a popular format. I don't see why they would give that up.

Copyright is not patent. Patents expire inside our lifetimes. H.264 will be a viable product for startups to use in 2017.

(As an aside, don't cast this as a FF vs. the world, patent fees kill startups as well as open source companies.)

Well, there are still issues with transparent PNGs and gamma settings for GIFs. But your main point is true... eventually the tech will work itself out.

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