Council of the EU Says "We Cannot Support Linux" 370
An anonymous reader writes "The Council of the EU has a streaming service so that we can watch its meetings — but the service can only be accessed by Mac or MS Windows users. This is because they employ WMV format for the videos. In the FAQ they express a really strange opinion about this: 'The live streaming media service of the Council of the European Union can be viewed on Microsoft Windows and Macintosh platforms. We cannot support Linux in a legal way. So the answer is: No support for Linux.' An online petition has been set up to create pressure to convince the EU council to change its service to one that is platform independent."
Interpretation (Score:5, Interesting)
Compatibility is Illegal Now? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Ogg Theora? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Where's the illegal? (Score:2, Interesting)
I have one. I am sure it is legal for me to possess and use it. Why don't you cite the existence of an *illegal* one, and please specify, with the chapter and verse of law please, where and how it is illegal, and what, precisely, is it illegal to do with it?
Re:Ogg Theora? (Score:3, Interesting)
Is watching it online a Privilege or a Right? (Score:4, Interesting)
Nevertheless, the number of people using Linux--and probably MacOS as well--pales in comparison to those who do not have a computer at all. (or hispeed internet, or a fast enough machine, etc.)
Assuming the CotEU is required to provide streaing video for those without Windows or MacOS, then who's to say they shouldn't have to make it available to those without a computer at all?
In my city (Ottawa, Canada), City Council meetings are open to the public. Anyone can go. Can't participate, but you can watch. You can also watch Council meetings on the local Cable channel (which means you have to purchase cable from Rogers--and this has been the case for decades without public outcry) You can also watch online. I think they use a RealMedia format.
If you don't have a computer (or cable TV) at home, there are computer terminals at all the public library branches and at many community centres. Assuming the City has a right to make these meetings available for live viewing to all citizens (which, really, is covered by letting any citizen attend meetings in person) then they have done so by making these computer terminals available at local libraries. Not incidentally, this would also cover off the Linux-using population in the case of the CotEU.
If your computer cannot access the stream (because it can't run on Linux, or is too old, or your internet connection isn't fast enough), then you can go to one of these places to view it. Or, if you want equality, the Council can stop streaming online, and everyone will be unable to watch it.
- RG>
Oh the noes. (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Forget it (Score:4, Interesting)
Civil Rights are Violated. (Score:3, Interesting)
That's an unbelievably bizarre metaphor - equating operating system support as anything like racial discrimination.
I can't understand why anyone would confuse freedom and civil liberties, can you? Is it worse to screw everyone for the benefit of a few, than it is to screw other races? Violating others is wrong, regardless of numbers.
A government that forces non free software for popular participation is not interested in popular participation or does not mind having a third party as a mediator of that participation. It is perverse and wrong for governments to force people to chose between software freedom and participation in their culture. They would have more control if they were to broadcast on TV only. They will have more particpation if they chose a free format and force the third parties to make due. Microsoft is never going to behave and the problems will never end unless people quit using their shit.
Re:I'm watching wmv video right now... (Score:2, Interesting)
I guess not very many people have heard of this. This makes me wonder. Are there other people that simply don't know about applications in linux and therefore think that linux isn't capable of some functionality when a very suitable app exists that does it?
You know, I think linux needs a centralized application that says "Here's what you can do in linux" and allows a user to explore all the beta or mature projects that exist. That would be insanely useful for raising awareness of applications. Most distros do a good job with default installs but there's no way they can include everything that might be useful to everyone, and honestly the names of applications are so obscure and don't really related to it's functionality that users would have a hard time.
There's always google and the Linux OSS equivalents to Windows programs, but I think an app that's part of the linux desktop would be really helpful.
Irony of hammering m$ and then requiring it. (Score:3, Interesting)
Then they say it is is required to play the video.
Re:Ogg Theora? (Score:1, Interesting)
The technology is there. It needs focus and financing to get real pollished.
I have sent them an email: You should do the same! (Score:3, Interesting)
I am interested in politics - especially on the European level, because political decisions heavily influence the way we, citizens of the EU states, live. As have learnt through Slashdot, a news website [1], the Council of the EU has decided to offer a streaming media service.
In my opinion, this is a very interesting service with great potential to provide citizens with more information to actual issues.
Unfortunately, the stream is only avaiable in a proprietary format named Windows Media Video (WMV). In your frequently asked questions [2] you state that "[the] live streaming media service [...] supports [only] Internet Explorer 5 and higher, Netscape Navigator 6 and higher.", that "[the stream] can be viewed [only] on Microsoft Windows and Macintosh platforms." and "[you] cannot support Linux in a legal way.".
As a user of free and open source software, this cought my attention. As a politically interested citizen, I would like to know why a proprietary (secret, probably patent-encumbered) format was chosen over an open video standard like Ogg Theora or XviD.
Proprietary formats, like WMV, are vendor-specific: They prevent or make it difficult for others to implement the specification. In this specific case, one has to download Windows Media Player, which is not avaiable for GNU/Linux, the operating system I am using. In constrast, open standards enable everyone to implement them: They are a vendor-agnostic, royalty-free and allow for a wide range of implementations. This can be compared to the analogue radio program, which can be heard with any radio, not just radios from microsoft.
As you can see, the use of a proprietary format is unfair, discriminatory behaviour against those who can not or do not want to use Microsoft Windows Media Player. The fact that this is done by a government entity makes it worse. In my opinion, gouvernment should not discriminate people - not even based on their choice of software. This is somehow a policital issue, but I doubt any reasonable citizen would oppose my position.
Most likely it is technically possible to offer the streaming media service in an open format to enable everyone with a capable computer and a good internet connection to watch it. You could do this, for example, with the free and open source software VLC Media Player [3], which is avaiable for a wide range of operating systems free of charge. Another way to provide wide access to your media stream could be the use of a java applet like Cortado (also free and open source software) which eliminates the need for a media player.
XXXX XXXX, a concerned citizen of the European Union
[1] http://linux.slashdot.org/comments.pl?threshold=0
[2] http://ceuweb.belbone.be/faq.php?lang=EN [belbone.be]
[3] http://videolan.org/ [videolan.org]
[4] http://www.flumotion.net/cortado/ [flumotion.net]
Re:Ogg Theora? (Score:4, Interesting)
I pointed out in the letter I wrote to my MEP that people in France have reverse-engineered the format, so the only barrier to legally supporting it is belief that software patents are valid. I have some hope that she will address this, since she is a member of the FFII and has actively campaigned against software patents in the past.