“VLC is an open-source media playback application, notable for supporting both audio and video, and formats missing from official playback tools made by Apple and Microsoft,” MacNN reports. “The VideoLAN software is developed on volunteer basis, however, and the number of Mac developers is reported to have dwindled to zero.”
MacNN reports, “VideoLAN warns that unless it can secure more developers, Mac support may be ended with the release of VLC 1.1.0.”
More info, including the skills needed, in the full article here.
More info about how to help the VideoLAN Project here.
That would suck. VLC is a great, versatile program.
Why is this happening? I don’t use VLC much, but it sure comes in handy on occasion. Why are mac developers losing interest?
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe this is just a publicity stunt to convince some talented Mac developers to join their team? I believe that they’re understaffed, but ceasing all development seems drastic. This could just be something to kick people into action. At least I hope it is… VLC is unbelievably important to the Mac platform.
I use VLC very infrequently, but it is invaluable when I do. However, I have no skillz.
If this happens Handbrake is screwed big time. The 64bit version requires VLC64, which is buggy as hell unless that’s changed in the last week it so.
‘in danger of ceasing’?…..guys….
Ow… my head hurts …. how about “VLC Development in jeopardy?”
Ludor,
It’s a free program, free and theft (filesharing,etc) leads to shrinkage in development opportunities. If you stop funding something it will go away.
Now, if only we could get that 4X volume on Quicktime….
Maybe that explains why the last few versions of VLC have been less stable for me than older versions. I hope some talented coders hop onboard. It would be a pity to see VLC for Macs go.
The solution for them is to start charging for it!
I have yet to find a mac without VLC on it. Unfortunately they can’t play/bypass all RC dvds…that would be awesome. Still, I’d be happy to pay for VLC.
. . . as I’ve struggled with this PoS application for long enough, despite everybody extolling it as the be all, end all of media players. Every friggin’ file I try to play on it stutters: mp3, avi, divx, flac, you name it. iTunes and QuickTime do a good enough job for me, despite their limitations (particuarly QuickTime).
I don’t have VLC and haven’t had a need for it. Considering I have been working with media files of all sorts on my Mac for two years, at times quite intensively, maybe it’s time for smart plugins to take over – ones that interpret media formats and play it over a cloud-based emulation.
I could be mistaken here but doesn’t handbrake use VLC? And if that is the case…couldn’t someone here spin some sort of conspiracy theory?
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Not crazy about playing back video in VLC either.
I personally hate all the obscure formats out there.
Love iTunes — we convert everything to h.264 the minute it comes in.
I’d be much happier if there was something like Visual Hub that had the same range of formats as VLC. And was a little faster. And wasn’t dead.
VLC was invaluable for many years in the early history of OS X, but I don’t think I’ve used it for anything productive in the last year or so. There are many other multimedia playback/editor options these days. Still, it would be sad to lose VLC just when they finally developed a marginally decent UI.
@disposableidentity
Ever check out VideoMonkey?
videomonkey.org
Signal: Mac devs are in demand.
VLC is still useful in playing many file formats, particularly .avi files that are incomplete or still downloading, since it streams them. QuickTime usually chokes and dies on anything incomplete, but lately I’ve noticed some improvement with QuickTime handling some files that VLC didn’t. The Perian plugin for QuickTime really adds value to it as a media player. There’s another player in town lately… MPEG Streamclip and it’s been successful in playing some files that both QuickTime and VLC can’t play.
I hope VLC finds the resources it needs.
This is insane.
VLC is the only app that plays some of my media files.
I have relied on VLC so many times and it works great.
I wish I could help.
Long live VLC on the mac.
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More pop-under spam from MDN. Please STOP it!
The big reason for installing VLC is that it’s required for Fairmount!
Ok. I’m going to set myself up as flame bait here, but it’s happening because Open Source is a horrible business model.
There I said it.
I know that it is politically correct in the technology community to praise anything and everything that is open source. It’s just that if you look, most open source stuff from LINUX itself on down tend to just achieve a slightly better than average following.
I’m really asking for it now but remember when Ballmer called open source “communism?” We all laughed and laughed.
The truth is he was sorta right. Open Source is a type of communism. From each according to his ability to each according to his means. The problem is all those programmers don’t get paid!!! There is no incentive except for the feel good aspects of having done something to help out.
Now here’s a great example. VLC is no doubt one of the most useful pieces of freeware out there, and it’s going by by on the Mac because the programmers have no incentive to keep investing their time in it. I’m sorry but our heartfelt appreciation wouldn’t even by a cup of coffee from Starbucks.
So when you ask “why is this happening,” you might as well be asking why Cuba is still one big slum, why did the Soviet Union Collapse, why is Venezuela suddenly going broke with so much oil in the grown, why is China sliding deeper and deeper into capitalism in order to survive? Because socialism doesn’t work, not in government, and certainly not in software development.
The Profit Motive is not evil. It makes things happen.
VLC is by far the best player out there I’ve found. The fact that it doesn’t take time to convert WMV is fanastic
Generally speaking, volunteer projects survive so long as they’re rewarding and there’s a need/demand for the services. You also need to have people with free time to participate.
The other factor may be that Mac developers need more help, and so those who can program for the Mac are spending their time doing paid work instead of free stuff.
I agree with MacBill in that they should start charging for it. Donationware is a nice idea, but how many pieces of donationware have you seen which survive very long, at least as donationware?
VLC lets you bypass region codes. That alone is the main reason VLC **destroys** Quicktime.