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

[Mario Vukelic]

On Fri, 2005-04-08 at 11:05 -0400, Ed Sutherland wrote:
> 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? 

Not in most jurisdictions, because mp3 is patented. Patents cover
the /idea/ not the implementation. You are prohibited to have the same
idea. Well, maybe not have (IANAL), but you must not use it in any case.

> For me, the only reason I 
> boot into Windows is to allow my young daughter to play online games 
> which rely on Shockwave.

Codeweavers has a commercial implementation of Wine which can run many
browser plugins (including shockwave) and other Windows software
(Office, ...). See http://www.codeweavers.com/

> 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? 

I don't think anybody does that. However there are serious legal issues
with many formats in many jurisdictions, and understandably nobody wants
to go to jail of pay hefty fines.

Kind regards, M