subject: Forget YouTube, Do we Have Another Choice? Really? Do They Really Exist and What are They? [print this page] Forget YouTube, Do we Have Another Choice? Really? Do They Really Exist and What are They?
The major news story this past year was not the increased cost of gasoline or the troubled economy or who won the Super Bowl. The biggest and most widely covered news story was that YouTube altered its format. Since its founding in 2005, YouTube has become a cultural phenomena with nearly half (48%) of all Internet users visiting the site by the end of 2007. YouTube has many detractors, but it is still a very popular site. If we weren't on YouTube, where would we be?
Vimeo is an excellent alternative to YouTube. The two sites differ in their content and in what type of material is permitted. An important distinction between the two sites is the content and what is permissible. The key is that Vimeo does not host material that has not been created by viewers. YouTube, a subsidiary of Google, specifically requires that video uploads should not be defamatory, contain pornography, copyright violations and material that might encourage criminal behavior.' This is very important due to the large size of the potential viewing audience. Due to its size and visibility, YouTube is under considerable scrutiny from watchdogs.
Vimeo since it is a smaller company is able to operate with less attention, particularly on issues relating to copyrights. It has a much smaller video collection in comparison to YouTube. Vimeo was the first site to use 720p HD. YouTube also offers video in this format but they were behind Vimeo in doing so. Vimeo has been very innovative in teaming with Canon on the "Story Behind the Still" contest. This event united a large social network with one of the world's largest camera companies. This project has elevated the status of Vimeo in the video streaming arena.
Another potential competitor for YouTube is XYZ.TV. XYZ.TV is a multiple video 2.0, that displays videos, television programs, news, music and other material. This playlist is also offered by YouTube. However, YouTube does not have the capability to access multiple programming simultaneously. This is a very significant feature of XYZ.TV, since viewers can access virtually any video available on the internet and can retrieve several at the same time.
Dailymotion, which is headquartered in Paris, is a video sharing system which allows users to watch videos, television programs and paid advertisements. The site has been called the YouTube of Europe'. Dailymotion offers an additional bonus if the user signs up and registers for the site. These official users can customize their profiles and upload videos of unlimited length. These users may also access the Stupeflix technology which allows them to create video slideshows.
The Megavideo website shows a variety of videos and TV programs. Megavideo has video in a number of different languages. The material comes from many of the other streaming video online websites including YouTube, Vimeo and Dailymotion. The Megavideo site is free, but there is a 72 minute time limit for watching films. However, there are ways of getting around this time limit.
The question is raised on whether there is an alternative to YouTube. The answer is yes, there are alternatives. Although YouTube is the most recognizable name, other sites like Vimeo have large numbers of users. YouTube has been the subject of extensive controversy since its founding founding and it is possible that its users may leave for a more appealing site.
