Fluendo MP3 GStreamer Plugin in Main for Dapper?

[Øivind Hoel]

On 12/29/05, JanC <janc13 at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 12/25/05, Travis Watkins <alleykat at gmail.com> wrote:
> > On 25 Dec 2005 01:50:12 -0000, Michael <pnjgt4x02 at sneakemail.com> wrote:
> >> Fluendo released a fully licensed "cost-free" mp3 decoder a few
> days ago under
> >> the MIT license. If I'm not mistaken, it should be possible to put
> that plugin in
> >> Main and have legal mp3 decoding support out of the box for Dapper.
> >
> > If fluendo's MP3 plugin was in restricted and installed by default
> > rhythmbox couldn't be. We'd have to fit banshee (mono!) on to the CD
> > somehow or tell people to use totem.
>
> Or use Quod Libet (written in python) or any other of a dozen music player.
>
> OTOH there is only one mp3 decoder that we can legally distribute worldwide.
>
> The big question is: what do we care most about, user experience or
> our disgust about software patents?

User experience is what should come first - always. In my thought
patterns, that's the whole point of Ubuntu - to provide an easy to use
desktop for everyone. The software patents issue isn't something we
can solve in a day, and we certainly can't solve it alone as a
project.

Has anyone actually talked to the rhythmbox developers about making
this a reality ala totem? I should think that's the most
straightforward solution.


On the issue of a non-us cd, I'm leaning towards thinking of that as a
bad, confusing-to-new-users idea, although I must say it slightly
ticks me off that I have to conform to silly US legislation in my
day-to-day computer usage.