everyday multimedia not supported in Ubuntu (Re: 3 days from the release, 3 machines, a few issues.

[Ed Sutherland]

This may be a rather noobish question, but can't Linux do with MP3 
decoding what was done with Microsoft's Word file format: that is, we 
don't have a Linux version of the application, but Linux applications 
which read the MS format? I do think multimedia support is one of the 
nuts, if cracked by Linux, would put Ubuntu and any other distribution 
on the same level of performance as Windows. For me, the only reason I 
boot into Windows is to allow my young daughter to play online games 
which rely on Shockwave. If Linux could support these graphic formats, 
these multimedia formats, these business formats, there is no reason for 
Windows anywhere. Isn't that a goal worthy to strive for, rather than 
bickering over whether this or that file format violates some personal 
or organizational bias? Continuing such thinking only causes the Linux 
community to hobble itself -- and when you're competing against 
Microsoft, you can't win with one hand, one leg tied behind your back 
and blindfolded.

Ed

Matthew S-H wrote:

>
> Just a question. I know it is illegal to copy the code they distribute 
> to decode MP3s. But would it be legal if we could find an alternative 
> decoder that /isn't/ created by them?