-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Benji Weber schreef:
On 17/05/07, Birger Kollstrand
wrote: IS this realy the general consensus? And if so, is it the users needs that are being considered?
That there is no interest in adding anything regarding multimedia because there "might" be a problem somwhere? I would gladly pay a fee each month (like Mandrivas solution) to Novell/openSUSE if I got access to certain closed products i need. That would also help openSUSE and maybe make openSUSE more "free" from the corporate goals of Novell. Please , if the "all SW has to be GPL" fanatics run out, I will not even consider replying.
There is no technical problem with including non-free software, there are already several non-free packages. e.g acroread, flash player, ms fonts etc. There is even mp3 support included in the non-free helix plugin.
The problem arises when you want to include GPLed software which infringes the mp3 or other patents. It is not possible for Novell to legally both comply with the GPL and with the software patent. Even if Novell were to licence the MP3 patent they could not distribute GPLed software which infringes it, unless they could obtain a licence for all future distributees. See section 7 of the GPL.
"For example, if a patent license would not permit royalty-free redistribution of the Program by all those who receive copies directly or indirectly through you, then the only way you could satisfy both it and this License would be to refrain entirely from distribution of the Program."
Multimedia support is already included via non-free software. Many people want multimedia support in their free software too, but Novell cannot legally do this due to the patent law in the US and the GPL.
I would expect it to be an approach to find solutions to this problem rather than to roll over and play dead.
Solution is to abolish the US patent system. Unfortunately as Novell is an American company and not based in a more enlightened part of the world they are subject to patent issues.
_ Benjamin Weber
Common people, like myself, are not part of Novell, i can add apps and pkgs to my personal used OS? So can other 'free' people, who know that everything has to be equaly shared... Why do we have to share the bad things: pollution, disseases, macdonalds, (oeps..not free!!) global warming, but not the good things, like movies and music? The bad things are free, and for the good things we have to pay? (exeption ofcourse oss..:-)) - -- Have a nice day, M9. Now, is the only time that exists. OS: Linux 2.6.18.8-03-default x86_64 Huidige gebruiker: monkey9@tribal-sfn2 Systeem: openSUSE 10.2 (X86-64) KDE: 3.5.5 "release 45.4" -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.5 (GNU/Linux) Comment: Using GnuPG with SUSE - http://enigmail.mozdev.org iD8DBQFGVc7wX5/X5X6LpDgRApASAJ0RxTFUBVOI4pfo/3DfwNpnJiFY6QCg3lj2 c6ZQN0UP/eXoiPDGVuAV/CA= =bX6l -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse-factory+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse-factory+help@opensuse.org