Do "Illegal" Codecs Actually Scare Linux Users?

jammag writes "In this article, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes points out why he keeps giving money to Microsoft and Apple despite the clear advantages of Linux: the scary legalese dialogs you have to click through to install codecs for common multimedia formats. Quoting: 'Despite strong points that go far beyond price, Linux falls short when it comes to legally supporting file formats such as MP3, WMA/WMV and DVDs.' He talks about using Ubuntu and booting up Totem Movie Player, only to be confronted with a burst of legalese about what a hardened criminal he'll be if he uses Totem without a license. This problem is 'a deal breaker' for him."

Scared?

[Rosco P. Coltrane]

the scary legalese dialogs you have to click through [CC] to install codecs for common multimedia formats.

apt-get install w32codecs

Wow that was super scary. I'm so glad it's over...

Not a problem...

[Scooter's_dad]

If your entire collection of mp3s is illegal to begin with, who cares if the software you have to install to play them is illegal too?

Re:Not just linux

[zrl]

feel free to use any of the opensource codecs. they are written from scracth or reverse engineering. Well as long as you are using them for personal, not commercial purpose. Am I wrong? I don't really care anyway, I'm a communist.

Re:Not just linux

[ak3ldama]

Oh, Yes. The author is a pussy and you are such a brave man. I am in awe in front of your bold and fearless attitude. I mean... it certainly takes a lot of courage to break the law when you are almost certain that you'll never get caught. Not a lot of person would dare to click on "I agree". You are a hero.

Yes, Anonymous Cowards unite! Call out other people for being weak, tell them you do not respect them and tell them they have no courage! If you persist in your efforts eventually every one will realize that the only people with a backbone and any respectability are those that post anonymously. You, AC, are my hero.

Pathetic wastes of life aside, I think the author does have a point. So does everyone else, These projects redistributing these codecs have no direct relation to groups such as Microsoft who we would need to be a licensee under to use WMV. At the same time, the usage of widely available information under these codecs should be handled better in the future so that a user of open source software can become a legal user. In all likely hood this probably doesn't matter. By downloading the codec we likely become a user of the EULA anyways even if we don't see it and click accept. It is our responsibility to read it. IANAL so what I said is likely wrong, or merely half truths. The point being companies have some responsibility to society to be fair with their creations ... just because Microsoft may not want their codec used on non authorized platforms doesn't make their stance just. A lawyer once told me though, that laws and court rooms don't care about whats right and fair, they just care about interpreting the law correctly.

Re:Not just linux

[daem0n1x]

And I always pay royalties for my open-source MP3 players. How much is 10% of zero?

oh noes!

[Anonymous Coward]

[Ferengi] You Clothe your women!11?!1 Shame! [/Ferengi]

Re:The blame for this lies with Linux? How?

[Omnifarious]

One of the hallmarks of sociopaths is they think they have an absolute right to pick and choose how they act in the world without regard for laws which annoy them or they think are silly or unfair.

One of the hallmarks of a sociopath is implying that other people are by putting words in their mouth then telling people that anybody who feels that way is displaying one of the hallmarks of being a sociopath.

Oh, wait, I have no idea what I'm talking about and am just spewing vitriol in a pathetic attempt to make myself sound big and tough and make it seem like I have a real argument! Oops.