Dapper installation notes/Stuff that needs fixing

[Aigars Mahinovs]

On 2/22/06, Sandis Neilands <sandisn at gmail.com> wrote:
> Perhaps I have misunderstood something but how come the w32codecs are
> illegal (as for copyright not patents) if most if not all codecs
> included are freeware? I mean if it's illegal to distribute them, then
> why do we see sites like http://www.free-codecs.com/ still around?

Acually it is not illegal for a user to download those codecs as they
are infact all freeware codecs. It is also not illegal to offer that
package for download if you insure that content in question is taken
down if a cease and desist order comes in from a copyright holder. It
must be insured that the content is held in a country where software
patents do not apply, so that patent claims can be safely ignored, but
otherwise I see no significant legal barriers.

If there is a reliable location from where an automated process can
download w32codecs pack, I see nothing legally or technically blocking
creating and distributing an automated tool that after a command from
the user downloads and install those packages. Copyright law does not
restrict use, only distribution.

In any case there must be a consultation with competent lawyers (like
EFF and FFII lawyers) before putting that tool into the release and it
is most probable that direct distribution of w32codecs pack on the CD
would be hard to achieve legally.

--
Best regards,
    Aigars Mahinovs        mailto:aigarius at debian.org
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