Fedora 9 to remove pointers to proprietary codecs [LWN.net]

Fedora 9 to remove pointers to proprietary codecs

Posted Mar 18, 2008 14:34 UTC (Tue) by tomd (subscriber, #881)
Parent article: Fedora 9 to remove pointers to proprietary codecs

Given that a large percentage (> 50%? http://fedoraproject.org/maps/mirrorlist/) of fedora
users live in jurisdictions that don't have software patents, perhaps a better solution would
be to set up a yum repo hosting FOSS but potentially patent encumbered codecs outside the US.
Then simply ask the user at install time if they live somewhere that has software patents, and
automatically enable the repo (and maybe install common codecs). Or alternately point them to
such repos using Codeina as an alternative to Fluendo's codecs. We're currently getting a very
US-centric "solution" to a problem that shouldn't affect non-US users at all.

As far as the situation in the US is concerned, I don't see why pointing people to commercial
solutions when we're unable to legally provide free ones is a terrible evil, as long as we
explain why we're doing it, and let the user decide how true they want to be to the ideals of
free software, versus actually viewing the file that they wanted to. We can remain true to our
ideals without forcing them on our users by removing their choices. The alternative is an
unusable distribution (for these purposes anyway).

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Fedora 9 to remove pointers to proprietary codecs

Posted Mar 18, 2008 19:16 UTC (Tue) by drag (subscriber, #31333) [Link]

What is needed is 'non-us' repositories. 

It worked with Debian and export controls and frankly that is how I learned about the laws
back when I was fairly new to the whole free software concept.

They can simply have a option:

'Enable access to non-US repositories.*'

'* due to a number of immoral laws in the United States (and a handful of other countries
following the U.S. example) these packages are not able to be included by default by the
Fedora project. Please check your local laws before enabling access to this software. See
fedoraproject.org/non-us-policy.html for details'


To me this seems a acceptable level of civil disobedience for a free software project based in
the USA to take. It protects the project from liability while instantly educating any remotely
curious people on how open source software is made illegal.

Every single time a person in the US sees that non-us tag float by when using yum they will be
reminded about what a serious problem these regulations are. Going silent and simply deleting
references to illegal software is not helping anybody out. Fedora should be very loud about
why it's not able to provide the highest quality desktop experience possible. It hurts the end
user as much as it does the project.

As far as I am concerned it's a modern equivalent to banned books.

Fedora 9 to remove pointers to proprietary codecs

Posted Mar 18, 2008 20:44 UTC (Tue) by ofeeley (subscriber, #36105) [Link]

"what's needed is non-US repositories"

There are non-US repositories which provide RPM packages of software which potentially runs
afoul of US laws.  That's not a problem for Fedora users who wish to use such software.
They're excellently served by some very capable creators and maintainers mostly based in the
EU.

The problem is that Red Hat (or the Fedora Project itself ... possibly both?) could be found
guilty of contributory infringement just for pointing people to those repositories. This
problem doesn't exist for Canonical (incorporated on the Isle of Man IIRC) or for ALT Linux
(from Siberia according to the poster above). It will exist for them as soon as, or if, they
start trying to do business in the USA. So, as soon as your distribution becomes commercially
competitive in one of the major marketplaces the issue will suddenly mean that you are
vulnerable to this threat.

For any commercial enterprise holding assets in the USA there will remain a problem as long as
the USA has laws on the books which stifle innovation and competition.