Spotlight on multimedia

Posted Oct 19, 2006 1:31 UTC (Thu) by bignose (subscriber, #40)
Parent article: Ubuntu 7.04 planning begins

> Ubuntu's Feisty release will put the spotlight on multimedia enablement
> and desktop effects.

Let's hope it does so without compromising user's freedom. The last thing we need is yet another "here's your OS that calls itself free but has essential software that ties you to a single vendor for improvements".

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Spotlight on multimedia

Posted Oct 19, 2006 4:01 UTC (Thu) by beoba (guest, #16942) [Link] (1 responses)

They've been quite good about that so far. At least in my experience.

Spotlight on multimedia

Posted Oct 19, 2006 19:27 UTC (Thu) by beoba (guest, #16942) [Link]

To clarify: Non-free packages are available in the 'multiverse' category. Multiverse is disabled by default, but people who really like their VLC (I do) still have the option of getting those packages without having to manually sidestep apt.

Noticing how Ubuntu is still maintaining a good relationship with Debian(?), I doubt that their philosophy will be changing any time soon.

Spotlight on multimedia

Posted Oct 19, 2006 5:11 UTC (Thu) by sbergman27 (guest, #10767) [Link] (4 responses)

> Let's hope it does so without compromising user's freedom. The last thing we need is yet another "here's your OS that calls itself free but has essential software that ties you to a single vendor for improvements".

Much better to simply deny the users the ability to view or hear multimedia content unless it is ogg vorbis or ogg theora.

Spotlight on multimedia

Posted Oct 19, 2006 6:30 UTC (Thu) by bignose (subscriber, #40) [Link] (2 responses)

> > The last thing we need is yet another "here's your OS that calls itself
> > free but has essential software that ties you to a single vendor for
> > improvements".

> Much better to simply deny the users the ability to view or hear
> multimedia content unless it is ogg vorbis or ogg theora.

Always remember who is doing the denying in these cases. Free software is an *increase* in freedom above the default; copyleft is a *guarantee* of that freedom. But software freedoms can be denied by external legal barriers, outside the control of those who provide the free software.

The holders of idea patents on media formats are denying free-software implementations of those formats. That's where the pressure needs to be applied.

Spotlight on multimedia

Posted Oct 19, 2006 18:52 UTC (Thu) by bronson (subscriber, #4806) [Link] (1 responses)

"Free software is an *increase* in freedom above the default."

Yeah, and a huge decrease in usability and functionality. How's the Hurd treating you? I assume you're running LinuxBIOS and have the source code and toolchains for the firmware on all the devices you're using. Do you have any time left over for getting work done?

In other words, "free" is not black and white like you seem to imply. I do not share your definition because, frankly, it doesn't sound very free to me. It seems to have a lot of restrictions doesn't it?

Spotlight on multimedia

Posted Oct 19, 2006 19:25 UTC (Thu) by beoba (guest, #16942) [Link]

Yes, but the restrictions are self-enforced. I had the option of eating 4 hamburgers for lunch, but I instead restricted myself to a soup and salad, because I know that my choice would ultimately be better for me in the long run.

While I don't currently use LinuxBIOS or anything of that nature, I appreciate their reason for existence: Should *something* happen in the future that makes them a better choice than the current defaults, then they will be available, and we won't have to start from scratch.

Spotlight on multimedia

Posted Oct 19, 2006 10:05 UTC (Thu) by drag (guest, #31333) [Link]

I don't think that Debian or Ubuntu or any other distro is denying anybody anything.

Users are free to use whatever codecs that will run on Linux systems and I don't think anybody is doing anything to stop them other then governments and media corporations.

Or is it that Fedora or Kubuntu is denying you your right to play Quake3 becuase they didn't include it by default?