Ubuntu Multimedia Special

[ankitmalik]

Ubuntu is a great distro but it lacks certain plugins/players.

All these have to be downloaded and installed post installation.

That is , OOTB, Ubuntu isn't complete.

I understand this is because Ubuntu wants to completely use free stuff kinda like Fedora.

But is it legally prohibited to ship Ubuntu with all these plugins? Or is it just socially prohibited due to Ubuntu's manifesto/social contract/aka?

But can I as someone not from the Ubuntu Foundation [or w/e that is called] customize Ubuntu, add plugins, enable multimedia and make another distro?

What are the legal implications of that?

MEPIS also have plugins for multimedia and also flash i think?

So can't I do the the same for Ubuntu but name it something else?

Please tell me!

P.S. Customizations I wanna add

> Flash
> Java
> MP3
> Universe Enabled
> NVIDIA/ATI Drivers
> Mplayer/GXINE
> Mozplugger
> Wine


Thanks >>>

[TravisNewman]

You're legally allowed to make a distribution based off of Ubuntu, but the legal implications of Flash, Java, MP3, etc will be the same for you as they are for everyone. You have nothing to worry about if they never come after you, but that's about all anyone can guarantee you

[ankitmalik]

You're legally allowed to make a distribution based off of Ubuntu, but the legal implications of Flash, Java, MP3, etc will be the same for you as they are for everyone. You have nothing to worry about if they never come after you, but that's about all anyone can guarantee you



" if they never come after yo"

Who are 'they'? And why havent they come after a distro like MEPIS?

[Buffalo Soldier]

" if they never come after yo"

Who are 'they'? And why havent they come after a distro like MEPIS?

they : someone rich enough to hire lawyers and twist the fact so that they can get rich quick. example SCO.

why haven't they come after MEPIS or any other such distro?
I assume they cant get much money from suing small time end user / home user. probably if some big corporation starts using mepis, then they'll be coming after it.

that's why some distro's that caters to big corporation/customer such as redhat tries to keep their distro clean from any non-free apps.

[nocturn]

" if they never come after yo"

Who are 'they'? And why havent they come after a distro like MEPIS?

They is the patent holders on the formats in question.
The patent holder for MP3 is currently not enforcing the patent when it is used in Free players, yet they can start doing that whenever they want.
So, maybe they never will, but maybe they'll start tomorrow, you don't know.

Even if you could beat the patent case, the legal fees would be enormous. A distro like Ubuntu or Mepis cannot pay these fees, so some choose not to take the risk.

[BWF89]

Windows doesn't come with Java, Flash, or Shockwave either...

[ankitmalik]

Windows doesn't come with Java, Flash, or Shockwave either...
Let us not compare ubuntu [sacred stuff] with some crap [read *******] please!

[zenwhen]

Let us not compare ubuntu [sacred stuff] with some crap [read *******] please!

They don't include it for the same reason. :confused: