Idea #9637: Allow a MS-free Ubuntu remix

Written by vexorian the 7 Jun 08 at 22:32. Category: Brainstorm.
Related to: Nothing/Others. Status: New

Description

Can you allow people to opt-out of endangering things like the MS codec tax implicit in remix? just like it seems to happen with real player?

http://www.canonical.com/netbooks

Look at:
"† Choice of one media player
* Only available with Real Player "

I want the same for windows media codecs, I don't want MS to receive money for software they didn't make, I must say that I am quite turned down a bit by this, it is a bad precedent to see Canonical to paying a MS tax in such a critical project as Remix.

While we are at it, could we have an ubuntu remix that's as decent as the real ubuntu in regards to freedom? As in... you need to opt-in in order to install restricted stuff? I don't want things to get over expensive because I am paying for things like flash or adobe reader or MS' codecs. In all seriousness, aren't there FOSS PDF readers for portables? That thing got even open office so...

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Eldmannen wrote on the 8 Jun 08 at 12:35

Wow...
So now Canonical is paying Microsoft and other assholes?

I would rather see the payment goto free open source software projects.

And now Ubuntu comes wit proprietary software?
I thought Ubuntu was supposed to be free.

How weak to pay extortion fees. Codecs should be freely implementable.

Auzy wrote on the 8 Jun 08 at 14:11

Buffering ..... Buffering... I tend to agree that a Gobuntu Netbook remix may be a good idea. Mainly cause I hate Real Player though.

So +1

Vadim P. wrote on the 8 Jun 08 at 14:22

Just download the netbook remix code yourself, and you're good to go! The code is freely available on launchpad.net.

And, finally, at least *some* venture canonical can at least make up the millions they're losing each year in operation.

rfdparker2002 wrote on the 8 Jun 08 at 22:17

What? Adobe Reader? Why do we need this bloated piece of propriety nagware, when we have the fast/lean Evince. I can't fully remember, but I'm pretty sure that it (Evince) fits fine on the Eee's resolution.

Vadim P. wrote on the 9 Jun 08 at 11:39

It was probably requested by the OEM's. They decide what goes on there (and if it doesn't, they'll either add it, or not ship ubuntu but some other distro happily. Take Xandros).

And hey, look, conspiracy theory people: "The new launcher is free software - so far, everything Canonical has funded, written and published for general public use on Ubuntu has been under the GPL. Currently we use GPLv3.". Taken from 'http://www.markshuttleworth.com/archives/151'. Please quiet down now, and let Ubuntu make at least some progress in being self-sustainable.

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