gstreamer and mp3

[J.B. Nicholson-Owens]

[Since I'm diverging from discussion aimed at directly practically solving 
issues with the Ubuntu GNU/Linux system, I've set followups to go to the 
general discussion list "Sounder".]

Eugenia Loli-Queru wrote:
> Please don't start that old game. Instant messaging technologies also 
> require royalties or licensing, and in fact AOL and Y! wanted in the 
> past to shut down cloners, however Gaim is distributed freely with all 
> distros and no one cares. That's hypocricy IMHO.

"That old game" is the same though, and we didn't start it.  We'd have to 
revert to 20-year old technology if we want to be as safe as possible from 
losing a patent infringement suit.  This is obviously impractical.  There's so 
much we can't do to avoid patent problems, it's a testament to how much of a 
problem software patents are for virtually everyone who uses a computer.

It's far more practical to continue to innovate and avoid known traps (like 
shipping unlicensed MP3 software to software patent-observing countries like 
the US because this places those users in a horrible dilemma).  The case of 
MP3s isn't a very compelling case anyhow--Ogg Vorbis provides a technically 
superior unencumbered alternative we can switch to relatively painlessly.  Rip 
to FLAC, encode to Vorbis, and you'll have unencumbered lossy-compressed audio 
as well as being ready to re-encode later on.  There are now a number of 
portable digital music players which play Ogg Vorbis (like the iRiver and Rio 
Karma devices).

Ultimately, the fight against software patents is political.  Since you see how 
this can adversely impact your use of the system, I hope you'll write to your 
government protesting so-called software patents, and join demonstrations 
protesting them.  I'm told that the fight in Europe can be won with large 
public support.