GPL'd Flash Library

[Mark Turner]

On Fri, 8 Oct 2004 17:21:02 -0400, Tim Schmidt <timschmidt at gmail.com> wrote:
> Ok, re-posting this because the origional thread got all screwed up.
> I'd like to see the GPL'd flash library at
> http://www.swift-tools.net/Flash/ included in Ubuntu (possibly Hoary).
> Since the origional posting a few good points have come up, so here's
> the use cases:
> 
> First, I'd like to say something about the utility of a free, but only
> partialy working flash plugin.  Even though it doesn't fully implement
> all versions of Flash, there are many reasons that people can't use
> Macromedia's flash, I'll try to outline those below.  Also, by
> including the partially implemented flash library (for which there is
> no better free solution) we'll be encouraging users to report bugs,
> and increasing awareness of it with developers.  In short, if we
> include the library with Hoary, it might be complete by the release
> after Hoary.
> 
> 1) Having a flash interpreter on the install CD would make life easier
> for people with no (or slow -- dialup) internet connections
> 
> 2) Macromedia's flash interpreter is useless on a LiveCD (since we
> can't re-distribute it).
> 
> 3) Supporting even just a couple versions of Flash is better than none.
> 
> 4) Users of arch's other than x86 have a tough time even getting
> Macromedia's flash working (Macromedia only makes Flash Player
> available for x86 (32bit only), MacOSX, Solaris, and Windows)
> 
> 5) It's not too hard to install Flash player from Firefox, but that's
> a per-user install and so needs to be repeated, cannot be automated,
> and wastes space.  Having one globally set up during the distribution
> install would be better.
> 
> 6) Supporting a free implementation of Flash fits well within Ubuntu
> philosophy: http://www.ubuntulinux.org/ubuntu/philosophy/
> 
> Enough reasons?  Anyone have more?  Can we at least get a package in universe?
> 
> --tim
> 
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I agree with Tim, including a free flash-compatible(limited) player
would help out the newer linux users, it also fits within the Ubunutu
ideals, we shoudl at least have it available in universe.



-- 
-Mark A Turner-
amerine at gmail.com