On Thu, 19 Jul 2007 17:20:49 -0400 Richard Stallman wrote: > Well, OK: mplayer supports some proprietary codecs but I don't see how > this encourage it's use. > > To encourage their use means to take steps likely to lead more people > to use them. For instance, to publicize their existence (unless they > are so well known that nearly all computer users have heard of them > anyway).
Well, AFAIK the only binary only codecs of practical relevance are newer realplayer codecs. The rest are more or less historical codecs not used anymore. I don't know if "nearly all computer users" know about realplayer. > Does the mplayer site include a list of non-free codecs? Does it say > where to get them? That would encourage people to install them. Yes. BTW, mplayer is listed in the `Free Software Directory' on www.gnu.org. With your understanding of "encouragement" this encourages the use of mplayer. > And second: For video *encoding* only codecs > with a GPL compatible implementation are supported. > > That is a good policy, as far as it goes. > > The non-free codecs that I'm talking about are the ones that are > binary-only (or those that have non-free licenses; but I am not sure > that case occurs). I don't see any ethical problem in distributing > programs that are patented or illegal in certain countries, as long > as their liceses are free. Those laws may be unjust, but they > are not the program's fault. I was a bit misguided by the "don't use gif pictures" article on gnu.org. If patents and other unjust laws aren't reasons to count a codec as "non free" mplayer isn't that bad anymore (from your perspective). In the early days the binary codecs were essential to have a useful program but this is not the case anymore. mplayer (or libavcodec) improved a lot in the past years. E.g. DVD playback and playback of most (i think all not by DRM crippled) Windows Media Files is *free*. These people have done a lot for your goals (maybe with the `wrong' motives, but why care?). David _______________________________________________ gnu-emacs-sources mailing list gnu-emacs-sources@gnu.org http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnu-emacs-sources