I'm personally agreeing with the idea of hardsub AVI for all the good reasons above. And for an answer where it's due, sure, I like linux, and it's my primary OS, but it has many weaknesses, one of which I'll generally call "interface". Playing and managing files in linux generally gives me the shits.
Linux can play any video format, no problem. Right after I compile my goddamned player. And that's after I go and download all the src for the core, and then all the codecs I want...
Other stuff to take into account: I know one or two people who use their DVD player to watch anime. While things are improving, support for softsubs in dedicated players is pretty hit and miss. Hardsubbed AVI is fine, thank you.
Unless you're going to offer me something nice, like multiple subtitle streams, or perhaps AC3 audio, just use AVI. (and don't hack AVI to insert an AC3 stream. Please...)
That said, I do like the odd softsub as well. If I can get HD raws and some subs, that's cool. Hell, if I can get any raw and some subs that means they didn't spend more time timing the gratuitous karaoke than the rest of the episode, that's even cooler.
I like karaoke, a lot of people do. The karaoke I want is just the romaji. Kanji is a wank. Translation, while nice, is irrelevant. When was the last time the words to a song made any sense? And why do people insist on making the karaoke dance? I'm dead serious when I say karaoke has gone downhill. There are far too many subs where the lyrics are hard to read. What's the fucking point!?
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