Ogg

1. Ogg Bitstream Format

The Ogg bitstream format--spearheaded by the Xiph.org Foundation--has been created as the framework of a larger initiative aimed at developing a set of components for the coding and decoding of multimedia content (cf. codecs) which are both freely available and freely re-implementable in software and hardware for the benefit of humankind at large--the Internet community included. Uninfringed by the oxymoron of intellectual property, individuals are free to employ, modify, and redistribute the fruits of this community effort to their hearts' content.

Various components of the project are intended to stand as alternatives to proprietary codecs such as MP3 and MPEG, RealAudio and RealVideo, QuickTime, and Windows Media Audio and Windows Media Video.

The principal Ogg component to date is Vorbis, for audio data. Other components include Theora, for video data; Speex, for voice data; and FLAC, for high-fidelity audio data.

The name "Ogg" comes from Netrek jargon (see below), and not from the character of Nanny Ogg in Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels.

Ogg Codecs

• Vorbis: an audio codec for handling general audio data at mid- to high-level bitrates (~ 32-128 kbps/channel)
• Speex: an audio codec for handling voice data at low bitrates (~ 8-32 kbps/channel)
• Theora: a video codec based upon On2's VP3 adapted to the Ogg framework, multiplexed with Vorbis-encoded audio channels
• Tarkin: an experimental video codec utilizing 3D wavelet transforms
• FLAC: an audio codec for handling high fidelity audio data, reproduction of audio is 1:1 with the original source data, no loss of information occurs

References

• Xiph.org Foundation's Ogg page: http://www.xiph.org/ogg/
• Xiph.org Foundation's page on names: http://www.xiph.org/xiphname.html

2. ogg (verb)

1. In the multi-player space combat game Netrek, to execute kamikaze attacks against enemy ships which are carrying armies or occupying strategic positions. Named during a game in which one of the players repeatedly used the tactic while playing Orion ship G, showing up in the player list as "Og". This trick has been roundly denounced by those who would return to the good old days when the tactic of dogfighting was dominant, but as Sun Tzu wrote, "What is of supreme importance in war is to attack the enemy's strategy." However, the traditional answer to the newbie question "What does ogg mean?" is just "Pick up some armies and I'll show you."
2. In other games, to forcefully attack an opponent with the expectation that the resources expended will be renewed faster than the opponent will be able to regain his previous advantage. Taken more seriously as a tactic since it has gained a simple name.
3. To do anything forcefully, possibly without consideration of the drain on future resources: "I guess I'd better go ogg the problem set that's due tomorrow", or "Whoops! I looked down at the map for a sec and almost ogged that oncoming car."

This article (or an earlier version of it) contains material from FOLDOC, used with permission.