OK, so more "a note to the Web" ...Just because I click on a link, it doesn't mean that I want to SEE YOUR STUPID VIDEO RIGHT AT THAT MOMENT. No, it means that I thought whatever info I had on it seemed interesting enough to maybe block out some TIME to get to it eventually. I have 84 tabs open in my browser, yours will be one of many. If your video player starts when the page loads (I'm glaring at you, YouTube!), I have a MUCH higher chance of never watching the damn thing. You are NOT increasing your exposure (although I suppose you will rack up a meaningless "view") by making the video automatically play, because I'm not "there" to see it ... you are, however, making me hate you on some subtle (yet lingering) level, which, if you're attempting to produce some action on my part, is very likely to counter whatever efforts toward convincing me you've poured into your video.
I know it's a minor "first world problem" thing (heck, it approaches a "Jestons problem" thing), but it makes me f'n CRAZY every damn day that I'm on the web (and, of course, short of my being hit by a bus and being in a coma, that pretty much means always), so just STOP IT, already!
GRRRRRRRRRRR ....