How come MEPIS, PCLOS, can support mp3s? (Legal perspecitive)

[curuxz]

Linux distros shouldn't support MP3, as it means that open formats won't go anywhere. If Ubuntu supported MP3 out the box, people would use that instead of Vorbis (which is much better quality anyway).

I agree, Im currently doing a long and mass process of converting around 30 gig of my muisc to OGG, to phase out all mp3 music.

Mp3 is not a good format its old and stale. we want OGG and open source and I really wish there was not such a backlash from the new uers asking for mp3's all the time or complaining about. Not saying anyone is this thread IS but that it does happen alot and is like complaining that we dont run exe's in linux its not our format and its not our fault! lol

[Jucato]

MP3 is also a free format, too, AFAIK.
Though I would like to really use open formats 100%, it's not really 100% possible because the MP3 is too famous, to the point that some people don't want to use anything else. While I have no problem with playing OGG on my PC and mobile device, I can't force other people to do the same, especially if their device does not support it (talking about some MP3/MP4 players).

Btw, I think most Linux/Open Source oriented podcasts usually have OGG alternatives available for download, too.

EDIT: I'm also in the process of converting my MP3 collection into OGG. I'm not picky about some quality loss anyway, so straight MP3-OGG conversion is fine by me.

[curuxz]

EDIT: I'm also in the process of converting my MP3 collection into OGG. I'm not picky about some quality loss anyway, so straight MP3-OGG conversion is fine by me.

Quality loss WTF? Should that not be the other way around as ogg tends to get better encoding rates, certainly sounds better on my sound system.

I think in the same way others offer mp3 only we should offer ogg only not give people a choice, because if we do there is no reason to use ogg for alot of people. Any content made by the open source community should be made for the open source community and IMHO that means pure OGG no mp3 versions since its easyer for them to use ogg than us to use mp3

[Michael_aust]

To change th whole issue of mp3 and openformats people need to stop buying Ipods and other audio players that do not include support for OGG. So this means rather then going out and buying a 20gb creative zen for £150 you should go out and buy a 1gb iaudio for £150. By not purchasing auido players who only support aac, mp3 and wma you are making a difference. Saying that distros should not support mp3 at all wont do a thing. Firstly it will just make people less likely to use it and secondly hardware manufacturers dont care about Linux. Come on they barly care about Apple macs. Look at the hoops you have to run through to get a creative zen to work on Linux or an Ipod.

The hardware manufacturrs are the ones who need to be pressured into supporting other formats. You may have to spend alot more for a product that support ogg yet does not offer the storage capacity of one that does not support ogg. However you are making s stand.

[matthew]

P.S.: I don't know what the hell I did to you that you expect me to somehow intentionally misunderstand you just to disagree with you, however, I find the accusation childish and insulting.

Somehow I don't find posting in a rude and insulting manner any less childish and insulting than you are accusing Frodon of being. Seriously, use private messaging or post in the Resolution Center if you have a problem with a staff member. I'm posting this publicly to send this same message to everyone who is reading the posts in this thread, not just you.

Now, back to the topic at hand.

[curuxz]

Im not saying distro's should not support MP3 i am saying content providers that are pro-opensource should not support mp3 and stop releasing content in mp3 format, if they change then you will get people needing ogg more.

[helpme]

Somehow I don't find posting in a rude and insulting manner any less childish and insulting than you are accusing Frodon of being.

Ah, of course it was me who was rude and insulting, not the moderator. As we all know, on this forum mods never make mistakes and by definition they don't insult others. So, where exactly was I rude and insulting? Was it calling accusing someone of intentionally misunderanding something insulting and childish, or was it the misconception I operated under that disagreeing with a post by a member of the forum staff somehow was within the rules and pointing out that mp3decoders are indeed open source?

Seriously, use private messaging or post in the Resolution Center if you have a problem with a staff member.

Seriously, if you have a problem with me, send me a private message, but don't publicly slam me.

I'm posting this publicly to send this same message to everyone who is reading the posts in this thread, not just you.

I'm posting this publicly because you chose to publicly slam me, instead of sending me a pm and I certainly won't let this behaviour go unanswered publicly.

Now, back to the topic at hand.

Agreed.

[RAV TUX]

(EDITED POST)
KNOPPIX (and probably Kanotix as well) is German based, so is not affected by the licensing issues?
MEPIS, we actually don't really know how they do it?

Mepis was based atleast partially on Knoppix.

If you want a refined version of Mepis go with Knoppix or Morphix(Morphix is derived from Debian Linux and Knoppix!).
http://www.knoppix.org/
http://www.morphix.org/

A even more refined Distro would be Dreamlinux.
"Dreamlinux is based on Debian and Morphix, which means it takes advantages of their best features and adds its own modern development tools"
http://www.dreamlinux.com.br/english/index.html

[matthew]

Mepis was based atleast partially on Knoppix.

Formerly, it's now based on Ubuntu. From Wikipedia:

As of June 2006, MEPIS has shifted from being Debian-based to Ubuntu-based (which is also based on Debian).

[RAV TUX]

Formerly, it's now based on Ubuntu. From Wikipedia:

yes, this is why I stated "was based".

Mepis was based atleast partially on Knoppix.

If you want a refined version of Mepis go with Knoppix or Morphix(Morphix is derived from Debian Linux and Knoppix!).
http://www.knoppix.org/
http://www.morphix.org/

A even more refined Distro would be Dreamlinux.
"Dreamlinux is based on Debian and Morphix, which means it takes advantages of their best features and adds its own modern development tools"
http://www.dreamlinux.com.br/english/index.html

...of course this goes without saying that Ubuntu is still the very best in FREEDOM of CHOICE, I personally prefer not to have a out-the-box prebundled Linux Distro and enjoy my freedom to enable what I choose from multiverse, Universe or other.

This is why I choose Ubuntu over SUSE last year.