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Can anyone tell me how are HTML5 "extensions" different to or better than "plugins" (eg Flash, QuickTime, Silverlight)? Has the line between open browser / specification and proprietary plugins just been shifted over a bit?

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The primary user-facing difference is that these "extensions" don't require additional installation to view content (that is, once all major browsers support them). From a technical perspective, there could other differences, like protections in place to sandbox the browser from the rest of the system, which is much better than requiring the execution of a closed-source proprietary binary.

So if Flash player was built into all major browsers (like it is currently with Chrome) then that would remove the primary reason.

I thought EME was execution of a closed-source binary blob too. I also thought some browsers sandbox plugins (I could be wrong).

EME still seems to be just a new plugin specification, with a more limited API.

The real benefit I see in regards to HTML5 video is mp4 streaming to xbox, chrome, safari, ie, firefox (on windows), android, and ios.

Utilizing other formats (like vp9, flash, and silverlight [silverlight I think is getting discontinued]) will cut off your ios demographic.

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