PackageKit-gstreamer-plugin replacing codeina

Jarod Wilson jarod at redhat.com
Mon Sep 29 16:51:39 UTC 2008


seth vidal wrote:
> On Mon, 2008-09-29 at 12:30 -0400, Jarod Wilson wrote:
>> seth vidal wrote:
>>> On Mon, 2008-09-29 at 11:32 -0400, Jarod Wilson wrote:
>>>
>>>> I have one minor concern here. Currently, codeina gives users a pointer to a 
>>>> location where they can get codecs from, in the case where they aren't 
>>>> supported within the Fedora repositories. While pointing people to Fluendo to 
>>>> buy codec packs isn't exactly the greatest feature to preserve, we at least 
>>>> offer a solution to folks following a clean install. So far as I can tell, 
>>>> this PK solution does nothing for the user if they haven't already configured 
>>>> a 3rd-party repository where the necessary codec might be available. *I* know 
>>>> where to find that stuff and make this solution work as expected, but a new 
>>>> user might not, meaning the search would fail, and they'd think there's no way 
>>>> to play back their WMV crapola, complain loudly, etc., so this would be 
>>>> something of a regression from F9, IMO. Of course, if there's actually 
>>>> something in there that says "hey, you need to set up a 3rd-party repo and/or 
>>>> you can get codecs from Fluendo", then no problem.
>>>>
>>> Which is, in fact, the whole point.
>> Apparently not, based on Richard's reply. ;)
> 
> Richard doesn't set fedora policy afaik. Nor do I, to be clear.

Oh, I know, just sayin' that nuking all refs to Fluendo wasn't an explicit 
goal of Richard's. :)

Removing the Fluendo refs actually *would* be Richard setting policy, IMO. 
Continuing to include them maintains current policy.

>> I agree that endorsing and encouraging non-free codec usage, particularly from 
>>   a 3rd-party charging money for them, is sub-optimal for a distro all about 
>> Freedom. However, we got a big thumbs up when we started including Codeina, as 
>> it makes life much easier for end-users, while also educating them a bit. If 
>> we remove that, I think we're right back to everyone bitching about Fedora 
>> being user-unfriendly wrt codecs.
> 
> Which is the problem. I'd rather be free software-friendly, first.

As suggested, by Josh Boyer on IRC, this is probably something for the Fedora 
Advisory Board to discuss. I'm all for free, but I think free needs to be 
balanced with the needs of users. I'm certainly not the one to set policy 
either, just trying to be sure we're considering all the angles here.

-- 
Jarod Wilson
jarod at redhat.com




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