Why?

[Slapdash]

WHy can say MEPIS Linux include Java, Flash Player, nVidia Drivers with the release and Ubuntu cant because of Licence issues?
Same with Vector Linux

Are they then doing this illegaly??

[Rancoras]

WHy can say MEPIS Linux include Java, Flash Player, nVidia Drivers with the release and Ubuntu cant because of Licence issues?
Same with Vector Linux

Are they then doing this illegaly??

Maybe Mepis pays the licensing fees?

[jeffsmith8]

MEPIS costs US$10. Some of that revenue is passed onto the license holders.

Ubuntu is free

[lordofkhemenu]

WHy can say MEPIS Linux include Java, Flash Player, nVidia Drivers with the release and Ubuntu cant because of Licence issues?
Same with Vector Linux

Are they then doing this illegaly??

The goal is to make Mepis 'work out of the box' as much as possible for a new Linux user (read: former Windows user).
A Windows user would expect their web browsing to include Flash and Java. Bet most of em don't even know what each of those is. My mother certainly doesn't. She just goes to sites, and this movie plays, that game plays, etc.
Mepis uses Blackdown java, which doesn't have that Sun sorry-you-need-to-download-the-binary-yourself License issue:

lordofkhemenu@1[lib]$ java -version
java version "1.4.2-01"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build Blackdown-1.4.2-01)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build Blackdown-1.4.2-01, mixed mode)

[nikopol]

it wouldn't be that difficult to write a script that would download install flash, Nvidia, realplayer and java automagically. In fact, I wrote one a while back when I was installing Ubuntu onto loads of computers and couldn't be bothered having to do all the post-install stuff over and over again... Would a script like that integrated into the Ubuntu install be illegal?

[MaZiNgA]

it wouldn't be that difficult to write a script that would download install flash, Nvidia, realplayer and java automagically. In fact, I wrote one a while back when I was installing Ubuntu onto loads of computers and couldn't be bothered having to do all the post-install stuff over and over again... Would a script like that integrated into the Ubuntu install be illegal?

I've thought time and time again of this and my question remains the same as yours...Last answers I got from daniels was that we would have "leagal issues"...But I still can't get it why we would...

[nikopol]

I've thought time and time again of this and my question remains the same as yours...Last answers I got from daniels was that we would have "leagal issues"...But I still can't get it why we would...

Nope I don't get it either - if it is an issue, could it not be possible to have a link on the desktop to a server (in Vatican City or somewhere like that ) with the script that can be downloaded, then run?

That said do Ubuntu not include the non-free repositories for legal reasons or to remain fully non-free software free until the user chooses differently?

[poofyhairguy]

WHy can say MEPIS Linux include Java, Flash Player, nVidia Drivers with the release and Ubuntu cant because of Licence issues?
Same with Vector Linux

Are they then doing this illegaly??

Mepis is mostly the work one a single person. He has decieded that (to him) it is worth the risk to include these things out of the box because there is a very small chance that he could get in trouble for doing it.

Ubuntu's dev team has decided that even a tiny risk is too much. It would be nice if they would work out a way to easily install these things- especially on the live CD.

Maybe something like the Kilk method:

http://klik.atekon.de/

[Slapdash]

MEPIS costs US$10. Some of that revenue is passed onto the license holders.

Ubuntu is free

Thats just if you want the CD, Mepis is Completely free, Even the ProMepis beta's is free. So I dont think Warren ( THe Mepis Developer ) Pays any Royalties / Licence fees to anyone.

I like the idea of incl. a script to do this and understand that if there is only a tiny risk the Ubuntu developers wont incl. it ( wich I think is good ) but what about the people who run the Live CD or the potensial windows to linux converts that dont have a internet connection. They would automatically think. "It includes Office but not Java? How dumb."

Even the http://klik.atekon.de/ is a great "Value added" idea for Ubuntu.

But Vector Linux has those apps as well, so does a lot of oteher Free Distro's.
There must be some sort of way around this problem.
It will add to Ubuntu Linux's value a great deal I think. Its another "selling point".
I see a lot of reviewers of other distro's put that up as a Pro in a Pro Con type review.

Just on a side note.
I am currently using Mepis but want to move to Ubuntu ( I had it installed before and liked it a lot but a few things kept me from totally switching )
I have to say that the UBUNTU Community is LEAPS and BOUNDS better than the Mepis community. Although the Mepis - Lovers site is quite good as well.

[nocturn]

WHy can say MEPIS Linux include Java, Flash Player, nVidia Drivers with the release and Ubuntu cant because of Licence issues?
Same with Vector Linux

Are they then doing this illegaly??

I'm unsure about the redistribution of these packages. I know SuSE handles it by including downloads in YaST for them, but they are not on the CD release.