[SATLUG] Dell Hope

[Thomas Cameron]

Daniel J. Givens wrote:
> Eli wrote:
>> Strange, my experience is the opposite. Ubuntu is worthless for
>> proprietary formats...just like most distros.
>>
>> Until Automatix is run, that is...
> 
> With the latest release of Ubuntu, Feisty Fawn, anytime you try to open
> a file that requires a codec you don't have, you are asked if you want
> the system to retrieve it for you. Of course, you are warned that if you
> get a codec that is covered by a patent in your country, you are
> breaking the law, etc etc. Ubuntu, though, is covered in that aspect.
> 
> Also, any copyrighted material used in Ubuntu is used by the permission
> of the copyright holder. Copyright doesn't necessarily mean that the
> material can't be shared or modified. Almost all F/OSS is copyrighted,
> but licensed for open distribution and modification. It is copyrights
> that ensure the GPL and other licenses keep code written by the
> community out of proprietary software when the original authors don't
> want it ending up there.
> 
> 
> I really don't see where Microsoft or Novell or anyone else would have
> any more ground to stand on to go after Ubuntu than they would going
> after Red Hat.

If you come to me and say "hey, I want to do something steal a car" and 
I give you the tools and drive you to a car I know is easy to steal, 
have I don't anything illegal?  I didn't actually steal the car, so am I 
OK legally?

In many jurisdictions (Texas being one of them) I am not.  I am just as 
guilty of that car theft as the primary actor.

I don't know if the patent holders for those codecs would actually win a 
contributory violation suit against a distro which does this.  But it 
would certainly lead to a loooooooong drawn out court case which would 
give MSFT and other anti-F/OSS folks a lot to FUD about.

Thomas