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views:

159

answers:

4

We are developing a social website and looking to implement video/audio chat for users (people a user is friends with). Most of the talk from the tech team was to use flash. But I don't want users to install anything. Can video/audio/conferencing be done purely in AJAX? Either develop it from scratch or use open source frameworks if any?

A: 

No, unfortunately you can only do this with a plugin (ie Flash).

Chief17
+4  A: 

Flash is already installed on practically ever browser out there -- except iPhones, iPads, etc. which will likely never support Flash.

AJAX and HTML and CSS currently have no access to video and audio input hardware, so that's a non-starter. In the future this may change.

For now Flash is (for better or for worse) the best way to go.

dkamins
A: 

I don't believe you have access to video or audio input devices from just the browser.

Davy8
A: 

HTML5 will be the answer in the near future (Work in progress): Link1 and Link2

But for now the only option is Flash

zengr
I don't know about you, but my definition of "near" future doesn't even come *close* to the time frame in which HTML5-based video conferencing will be possible...
Dean Harding
I agree my friend, "near" is not so near. But looking forward to it!
zengr
Atleast, that's what Apple is also waiting for. So, you never know!
zengr