@Bowo:

So I had a good look at the tool. Seems like you can upload video from your hardisk which turns it into flash and then you need to provide captions in the original language, which are then translated wiki style by the community into other languages. You get an embed code and a viewer can select the language of available subtitles down at the bottom of the box. The functionality is good. I think you can use a YouTube video as source if you want. Some ideas for implementing on WiserEarth include:

• OpenID integration - WiserEarth users shouldn't need another password to be users on DotSub
• Embeddability on WE wikis - probably fairly simple
• Suggestion to DotSub people to be able to force a particular subtitle as default based on call the embed code makes to them
• Suggestion to DotSub people to make it more obvious that there are different language options for subtitles - its too hidden in the UI at the bottom. I would show a list of languages as clickable tabs along the bottom with 'more ...' if there are more options.
  

What a great tool indeed!

Security issue aside, this would be a great fit for a site like WE.

About dotSUB:

dotSUB is a browser based tool enabling subtitling of videos on the web into and from any language. There is nothing to buy and nothing to download. Recognizing the potential of global communication powered by the Internet, the founders of dotSUB created a web-based tool that enables video to be accessed in an open, collaborative, "wiki" type environment. The dotSUB tool gives anyone the ability to translate video content into multiple languages via subtitles rendered over the bottom of the video.

The idea of dotSUB was born in early 2004 after viewing the film "Fahrenheit 911." Michael Smolens, Founder and CEO of dotSUB, realized that if one documentary film in English might have an impact on a very close US Presidential election, what would happen if all independent and documentary films, television programming and video from all cultures could be made available in all languages - what a powerful impact on the world that would be!

The goal was to create a tool that was as simple to use as the Google search bar, with no downloads, that could engage the power, methodologies and thinking of open source, wikipedia, social networking, creative commons and web2.0 user involvement to substantially remove language and cost as a barrier to cross-cultural communication using video.

It took three years to create the tool and process, and now dotSUB is integrating its functionality with businesses and organizations in all fields - for anyone using video as an internal or external communication tool. The "perfect storm" unleashed by the purchase of YouTube by Google for $1.65 billion has set in motion a frenzy in traditional media companies, as well as a plethora of start-ups, to figure out how to monetize video in English (or its native language). dotSUB is creating the ability and global network to re-purpose this content into all of the world's languages at a cost approaching an order of magnitude less than using traditional tools and methods.

Questions:

• Can dotSUB import/export video from/to other video platforms (YouTube, etc.)?
• Coding issues aside, could this be more tightly integrated to WE? (more than just embedding the video). i.e. Can it be tied to WE's file hosting and wiki environment?

What a great tool, Hanah.  As far as I know, allowing other video players to run on WiserEarth requires allowing some form of cross-scripting, if I'm not mistaken.  We have started talking about the possibility of allowing this on WiserEarth, but are looking at the security risks first.  If we do decide to go down that road, I will post back here.  In the meantime, do you have the technical information regarding your video player that I can pass along to our developers?

Good idea Hanah. My +1.

Perhaps you can provide more technical information regarding your video player? And a sample video (URL)?

By the way, is there a "wrapper" application that can play all kinds of web video out there just by feeding it the URL/link of the video? If there is one, this would be great for WE.

Or, perhaps a "converter" service/application that can convert from any web video to YouTube video? This would only be a temporary solution though as it will add an extra step to posting video in WE.