With regard to patents, VP8 copies way too much from H.264 for anyone sane to be comfortable with it, no matter whose word is behind the claim of being patent-free.
Google isn't indemnifying those who might use VP8, right?
> VP8 is definitely better compression-wise than Theora and Dirac, so if its claim to being patent-free does stand up, it’s an upgrade with regard to patent-free video formats.
Sounds to me like he has no clue yet, and how could he if it's just been released?
>Fortunately, it seems I was able to acquire access to the VP8 spec, software, and source a good few days before the official release and so was able to perform a detailed technical analysis in time for the official release.
The only "clue" he's missing is whether or not VP8 is buried under a flood of patent lawsuits. Since that's something only time will tell, I think it's perfectly reasonable for him to add that qualification to his claim that VP8 is an upgrade from Theora and Dirac.
> sometimes it take year for a single patent
It takes only seconds to issue threats. And a single threat can stop people from adopting it.