[SFD-discuss] Quick question....

[Guido Arnold]

Hello,

2008/5/29, Arron M Finnon <afinnon at googlemail.com>:
> One of our other members thinks we can't do that because Linux Mint
> comes with Proprietary media codecs.

I'm on his side.

> (...) my views is that
> workshops and discussion groups on why using free-codecs is better than
> using proprietary-codecs i think is a great idea.

I think so too.

> Sort of advertising
> alternatives, rather than saying YOU CAN'T USE THAT
>
I'd rather say "It's _possible_ to use that, but that's not what free
software is all about."
If we continue to accept proprietary software/codecs, we'll end up
with the same problems we have today.

> I have the nasty thought that we have all of these potential new users,
> who the minute they go to play their music or videos sit there and say
> "well free software is good but you can't play stuff i'll just boot back
> in to windows"

In my view, the SFD is the perfect opportunity to teach people exactly
that proprietary formats/codecs already make them dependent on one
vendor's mercy. If they continue to use them, they don't really gain
freedom and don't exert their market power to push vendors to open
standards.

Greetings,

Guido