Yet the codec itself fights extinction. Open-source decoders (FFmpeg, VLC) reimplement h264 independently of any corporation. The specification is public. Reverse-engineered encoders exist. As long as there are electrical fields and silicon to switch them, h264 will find a way to be decoded.
This structure mirrors how memory works: a few crystalline moments surrounded by plausible reconstructions. eternity h264
Understanding Eternity H.264: Compression and Connectivity in Modern Surveillance Yet the codec itself fights extinction