Split patent-infringing CODEC plugins into a package for each format

[Aaron Whitehouse]

As raised on the mailing list:
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-devel-discuss/2007-September/001540.html

I am using Gutsy Tribe 5. I was just sent a wmv file from somebody and was finally able to try the fancy Gnome-app-install multimedia codec installer.

The list showed me two entries, both of which apparently contain codecs for large numbers of formats.

It occurred to me that, to play my one file, I was going to have to install codecs for far more formats than I wanted to play. More importantly, I was going to have to install far more patent-breaching files than I theoretically had to. In addition, I have cruft installed that I don't need.

In the past, it wouldn't have been a great idea to have numerous packages, as it would make installing them more difficult. Now that the process is automatic, it makes sense to me that we should enable the user to install (and infringe patents) to the minimum extent necessary.

Splitting codecs would also have the advantage that a dedicated codec package like fluendo's mp3 decoder would get a fair run in the popularity contest against the composite packages. At the moment, everyone has to install Gstreamer-ugly or Gstreamer-ffmpeg for so many types of file. This means that the (more legal, as I understand it) fluendo codec never gets installed as users already have patent-infringing mp3 support in the composite packages. That, in turn, skews the "popularity contest" results when somebody is deciding which codec to install when their mp3 doesn't play.

We could always create meta-packages with the same names as the old packages.

[Nanley Chery (nanoman)]

I don't see the logic here. If one was to break the law by installing patents they shouldn't, changing the number of patents installed won't change the fact that the person still broke the law.

[Aaron Whitehouse (aaron-whitehouse)]

Breaking the law isn't binary - you can be stung for each count or have damages vary based on the extent of infringement. More than that, people may have acquired patent licenses for various formats (MPEG patents through some DVD playing software that they have on Windows etc.) or the patent in question may not be enforceable in the user's jurisdiction.

As I said - there are other reasons that I think that this is important aside from illegality, but that is the most serious.

[Goose Igaly (theflyinggoose)]

I understand what is being said here: whether for reasons of legality or simply the mass volume of codecs that are installed in the attempt to install only the one or two that are needed, some users wish to select individually the codecs to download.

That said, a codec-related repository could be formed with all codecs included. From here, users could filter down to the codecs that fit their needs and choose which build of the codec they want. At the same time, the codec packages that are currently in place can still be an option for those who want a quick and generic codec fix.

 With a system like this, both sides of the issue can be satisfied. There may already be a repository of this nature in place. If there is, I am not aware of it; then again, my current knowledge of the repositories is limited, so I would not count the idea entirely out.

[Goose Igaly (theflyinggoose)]

This is a topic that any Ubuntu user installing codecs encounters, though not all find it a problem.