Re: very rough pre-gep tentative new modules list

[Alan Cox <alan redhat com>]

> > Thats a different set of pieces (CSS). The US side of it means we probably
> > cannot ship mpeg video, mpeg audio, mp3 audio, windows audio, or ac56.
> 
> I'll worry about those when there is a prosecution or legal claim made
> against any of them. I'm not yet aware of any.[3]

For MP3 it has been made completely clear that you must pay a royalty. That
is why many vendors have just pulled it, including Sun from its java
media pieces. The restrictions on MP3 players mean they violate the
Debian guidelines and cannot be "free software".

> and OS/X instead of win95 and OS9, we[2]'re going to need mp3, dvd, wma,
> etc. support. Which means either figuring out a debian-style tiered

They are non-free. Provision of such tools in a "GNU" project is
inappropriate. Ask Richard. Richard will also tell you that the FSF 
advocates campaigning to change laws but not breaking them. GNOME should
ship only those media formats that are open. If someone outside of GNOME
wishes to provide other formats that is for them to decide.

I'm not arguing that mp3 and DVD tools are not useful, but it is 
inappropriate for the GNOME project to supply them. The GNOME project
must have the guts to say "We cannot provide XYZ facility because it is
not free". Freedom is not hiding in the basement saying "They haven't come
for me yet".

Alan
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