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The Open CD forks to OpenDisc
The Open CD project has been
moved to the new OpenDisc
project, according to Gerald Stone's
blog.
"OpenDisc is a collection of high quality open source software for the Microsoft Windows platform, aimed at users exclusively using said operating system. The two goals of the disc are to provide free alternatives to otherwise costly equivalents, and to educate people about the Linux operating system."
(Thanks to Jim Welch).
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Not really a fork; it's a move Posted Sep 27, 2007 22:40 UTC (Thu) by dwheeler (guest, #1216) [Link] This is a move, and not really a fork in the traditional sense. Canonical has stated that they will not continue active development of the OpenCD in parallel with the OpenDisc. Henrisk even says "I wish Chris the best of luck managing the new project!".OpenCD was such a different project from the rest of their projects that consistency rules, instead of helping, were stifling.
The Open CD forks to OpenDisc Posted Sep 28, 2007 0:16 UTC (Fri) by tzafrir (subscriber, #11501) [Link] Maybe it's just me, but it always bothers me that such projects act as distributors and not as packagers.
For instance:
> TheOpenCD is sponsored by Canonical and thus all the
He had problem that forced him to avoid including the standard version of a certain program. Now let's ignore for the moment the specific cause for this and focus on the proposed solutions:
Is './configure --nodecss' such big a deal? Or removing certain plugins?
Not so easy. Posted Sep 28, 2007 7:16 UTC (Fri) by khim (subscriber, #9252) [Link] If this were dist for veteran Linux-users it'll be trivial problem. Not even worth talking about. But it's not. It's disk for novices. If such a guy will try to use VLC and will not be be able to play DVD he'll come to two conclusions: Remember: Joe Average does not know and does not care about patents and freedom. May be later he'll know about such problems, but not from the start. Version without DeCSS must include stuff to detect CSS-encoded DVD, should ask user if he'll have a CSS license and if the answer is "yes" - download library. In this case the perception will be good - but I'm not sure if it's legal or not...
Not so easy. Posted Sep 28, 2007 8:32 UTC (Fri) by tzafrir (subscriber, #11501) [Link] VLC has quite a few other uses. Not just playing DVDs. Right now the result is: "TheOpenCD sux: it doesn't even include VLC!" .
Another thing: they never tried automating the install process. Installing "all programs" (to make you "Joe" happy) takes a huge ammount of time, as you have to press a whole lot of "next" screens. Joe really couldn't care less about everything there.
There are also various creative solutions for that. They normally include getting a "little plugin" from elsewhere, which minimizes the problem.
Furthermore, if Joe really wanted of change the defaults, he had to change the same default on 8 different screens.
Would I use such a CD to install programs for a friend? no. The reason: after a month or so there are already newer versions on the web. And the installer of the CD is just as annoying as the installer in the packages from the web. So I would never try to "install everything".
This means only programs the user really wants get installed, and hence popular programs don't help carry other programs with them.
CD can not include all possible programs. Posted Sep 28, 2007 9:04 UTC (Fri) by khim (subscriber, #9252) [Link] When VLC is absent it looks strange but "normal": there are only so much space on CD, of course they can not include everything! Of course it's strange that when they've included few strange packages but excluded good media player - but oh, well, I can download VLC myself or just continue to use Windows Media Player. When you take the collection of software (they were quite popular 10 years ago when internet was slow and expensive) you don't expect to see all the software in existence there. So lack of VLC is minor annoyance. But you do expect to find tested and working software there - and VLC without DVD support is "broken" from the normal person's point of view. Sure, VLC without DVD support is still useful - but for 99% of users it's better to know that they must download VLC separately then to install it and later found out that they can not play DVD they took to watch on the plane...
The Open CD forks to OpenDisc Posted Sep 28, 2007 13:58 UTC (Fri) by jimwelch (guest, #178) [Link] I gave a talk at my local Kiwanis Club on Linux about a year ago. 60% of the members are over 60. Only 3 other people are IT types. After describing the software on Open CD, They took all 10 copies I made, and asked for more. They understood the value of FREE, with quality, and without spyware. Some even asked for help in upgrading to linux!
I am looking forward to a new and improved version to give them. I have downloaded and am burning for the next meeting. I see this as a step forward, even if they don't go "whole hog" and install linux. It probably helped when I told them I had been publishing the weekly newsletter for 3 years with Linux and open office.
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