non-free should just work

[Dave W]

* Ross D <smoothrt at gmail.com> [2004-10-28 09:57:47 -0500]:

> I see the thing limiting Ubuntu the most is the difficulty with getting
> non-free things working (java, flash, nvidida drivers, codecs for
> realplayer, etc.) I've been a newbie using Ubuntu for a month now,
> constantly fighting with this and still only about 1/2 successful.

<snip>

Ditto.  I like Ubuntu but will be switching back to Libranet if Libranet 3.0
has udev and the nifty auto-mounting trick that ubuntu has.  That's the only
thing that really puts it ahead of Lib (for this user).  Libranet comes with
a great installer, NVidia's drivers and plenty of other non-free stuff,
several window managers, java and flash installers, MS font installers, a
normal root account, et cetera.  It's debian-based too but with a usability
philosophy, rather than an always-free "humanity" philosophy.  It DOES cost
money, though, unless you wait a while for the latest version to go the
free-download route, and of course you can get the free version and
dist-upgrade your way more or less to the latest. 

Ubuntu has a fine niche and I applaud them for what they've done, but the
no-non-free thing is a pain (again, for this user).

One of the great things about Linux is that there's something for everyone,
and if there's nothing for you YET you can make your own distro, or just
wait - because somebody will scratch your itch eventually.

david williamson