{"product_id":"against-all-formats-marcus-z-chen-9798299290899","title":"Against All Formats: The VLC Revolution: How Open Source Software Conquered Digital Media and Changed Technology Forever","description":"The untold story of VLC Media Player and the volunteers who built itIn 1996, a group of French students faced a simple problem: they couldn't stream video on their campus network. Their solution would become \u003cb\u003eVLC Media Player\u003c\/b\u003e, installed on over 3 billion devices worldwide. \u003cb\u003eAgainst All Formats\u003c\/b\u003e chronicles the remarkable journey of an open source project that: \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRefused multimillion dollar buyout offers from tech giants\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSurvived legal battles with the entertainment industry\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuilt software used by everyone from NASA to your grandmother\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCreated a sustainable volunteer community spanning decades\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003eTechnology journalist Marcus Z. Chen spent three years researching this David versus Goliath story, revealing: \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe inside story of VLC's legal battles over DVD playback\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow volunteers outsmarted corporate competitors\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe philosophy that kept VLC free when others sold out\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTechnical challenges behind \"playing everything\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe million dollar Bitcoin donation that secured VLC's future\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003eThis narrative nonfiction work combines \u003cb\u003etechnology history\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003cb\u003ebusiness strategy\u003c\/b\u003e, and \u003cb\u003ehuman drama\u003c\/b\u003e to tell how volunteer developers created one of the most successful software projects in history. \u003cb\u003ePerfect for: \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTechnology enthusiasts and software developers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBusiness readers interested in disruption and innovation\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnyone curious about open source software\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReaders who enjoy underdog success stories\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ci\u003eNote: This is an independent work. The author is not affiliated with VideoLAN or the VLC development team.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Marcus Z. Chen\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9798299290899\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Independently Published\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 08\/22\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 144\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.44lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.34d","brand":"Marcus Z. Chen","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":48089414828287,"sku":"9798299290899","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_01970e2b-7e74-4085-b131-fc30585e000c.jpg?v=1769110108","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/against-all-formats-marcus-z-chen-9798299290899","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}