Codeina: Intriguing idea, but...

[Simon Andrews]

David Boles wrote:
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> Robin Laing wrote:
>> Bryn M. Reeves wrote:
>>
>> I followed the link and I was intrigued by the one comment.
>>
>> We are working on this problem, but due to relying on some proprietary
>> 3rd party software we are a bit stuck atm, but we will update the
>> plugins with a fix for this as soon as possible,
>>
>> Isn't this the issue that keeps coming up?  Closed source issues causing
>> headaches.  Now if I remember correctly, anything closed source was not
>> being supported by Fedora if you submitted a bug report.  Example,
>> Nvidia drivers.
>>
>> But into the Codina issue.  I want codecs for the applications that I
>> use and those are VLC and mplayer/mencoder.  So Codecs that are for any
>> and all applications on my system that I want to install.
> 
> 
> This subject has been discussed to death I would think.
> 
> Fedora has said that they are not, can not, and why, provide these codecs.

Fedora can't distribute the open source codecs because of software 
patent and DMCA restrictions which apply to them because Fedora is 
suppored by a US based company.

> You *really, really need* these codecs? Then make the effort to find
> them. Then steal them. Then make the effort to install them.

There's no stealing involved.  There are free open implementations of 
many of these codecs (for example the ones hosted at livna).  The 
problem is that some of the methods used in them violate software 
patents held in the US.  There are no copyright problems as the free 
implementations are written from scratch.

> The only way that you are going to get someone to *hand* them to you,
> legally, is if you hand them *money* first.

*If* you live in the US.  Pretty much everywhere else in the world there 
is curently no legal problem with using the free codecs (for now at least).

> You buy? You're legal.

*In the US*.  Otherwise you're legal whether you buy or not.

> You steal? You're a thief. Seems like a simple
> enough concept to me.

Even more simple than you're making out actually.


> I really get tired of seeing this same thing hashed over and over.

Likewise.

Simon

PS I have a sneaking feeling I've just been trolled...