codec support

[Corey Burger]

On 8/2/06, Darryl Moore <darryl at moores.ca> wrote:
> On Wed, 2006-08-02 at 16:22 -0700, Corey Burger wrote:
>
> > Those codecs are, in fact, already packaged by default. They are
> > merely part of the multiverse repository. The only thing missing is
> > w32codecs (which are legally grey due to copyright issues, as they are
> > direct copies of the windows codecs) and decss (which the DVD assoc is
> > quite sue happy over). The codecs which are packaged are in
> > gstreamer0.10 plugins packages bad and ugly.
> >
> > Corey
> >
>
> yes, well those are just the ones I mean. I'm still not exactly sure
> about the status of w32codec though. I've seen some sites which insist
> they are a direct copy. Others which say they are not. Does source code
> exist somewhere? That would be definitive. If you have any good
> background on this I'd appreciate a link or two.
>
> decss IS most definitely legal in canada. It is only the DMCA in the
> states which make it illegal.
>
> MP3 is as well. At least if you don't believe in software patents which
> our patent office likes to be ambiguous about. Certainly the
> corporations have not proved their patents in THIS country.
>
> DivX which I believe is part of the w32codec should be as well.
>
> How much could we include which would actually be legal in this
> country??????

It is not hard to see. Simply look at the installed files in the
w32codecs package. You can even md5 sum them against the ones
quicktime/realplayer/etc. installer. There is not source code for them
publicly available. As such, they are illegal in any country with
respects copyright law. And we should respect copyright law, because
our house is built of it too.

As for a Canadian only version Ubuntu, I have very mixed feelings
about it. It is a possiblity, but I would need some strong convincing.

Corey