What are consequences of "merger necessitates removal of ... packages due to licensing issues"

[Randall J. Parr]

Bill Nottingham wrote:

>Randall J. Parr (RParr at TemporalArts.COM) said: 
>  
>
>>* This merger necessitates the removal of certain problematic packages
>>due to licensing issues.
>>
>>
>>Does this mean that we will no longer be able to go to Fedora to pickup 
>>the MP3, mplayer, etc. packages which have not been included in recent 
>>Red Hat releases because of potential licensing problems.
>>    
>>
>
>Correct. 
>
>While I can't speak for certain, I'm sure there will be third
>party repository maintainers willing to host such software.
>
>  
>

Yes, there are but they are limited and/or carry with them considerable 
problems/conflicts.
The very problems/conflicts which Fedora was really starting to solve 
(for me).

Given the recent retoric on the Fedora and Red Hat newsgroups
I had high hopes the Fedora repository and approach would expand and gain
more wide spread use thus making it even easier to pull-together a fully 
functional workstation/desktop.

Now it appears the one good, effective effort has been coopted and devalued.

Yes, I am glad (as a shareholder) to see Red Hat find such a creative 
way to improve (exit, pawn off?)
the development process and availability of "Red Hat for the masses"
BUT it appears you've also neutered the best hope/source for all those 
other things
Red Hat hasn't wanted to or been able to deal with.  The things needed 
to provide my customers
(and myself) a reasonable, competitive alternative to Windows.

Killing off such a step forward for Red Hat users with a vague "I'm sure 
there will be ..."
seems short-sighted and/or selfish (of Red Hat). 

Hey, I'm out here trying to promote both Red Hat and Linux and it hurts 
to get cut-off at the knees. 

Now, if this IS being addressed, let us know. If not, please, can we 
address this soon.

R.Parr, RHCE
Temporal Arts