RestrictedFormatsAssistant

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The idea is to add support for as many multimedia formats as possible (MP3, DVDs, DivX, etc) in a semi-automated way, right after a fresh Ubuntu installation, and taking into account all legal restrictions. The idea is to enable legally-entitled users to add support for many popular multimedia formats (MP3, DVDs, MPEG-4, etc) in a semi-automated way.
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''We can proudly say that Free Software offers excellent support for the most popular multimedia formats (like MP3, MPEG-4 "DivX", or even encrypted DVDs).'' ''Free Software offers excellent support for the most popular multimedia formats (like MP3, MPEG-4 aka "DivX", or DVDs).''
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''But unluckily, certain restrictions (such as software patents) make it illegal to distribute Ubuntu with such support, in certain countries like the United States of America or Japan.'' ''But unluckily, certain restrictions (such as software patents) make it illegal to distribute Ubuntu with such support, in certain countries like the United States of America, or Japan.''
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== Comments ==

 * '''RobJCaskey''': Please note, some valuable comments were taken into consideration in production of this revision. Please see the page history. It would be much appreciated if original contributors would update their comments and place them here, but not inline in the proposal.
 * '''ArwynHainsworth''': I just cleaned the page a bit further and removed the 'Alternate Proposal', since it was an implementation suggestion for EasyCodecInstallation, which is not what this proposal is about. The on-topic part of the deleted section was (not a quote): '''implementing a post-install assistant is a bad idea and on-demand codec install is better''' (see EasyCodecInstallation). Please see the page history for the full deleted text.
 * '''ArwynHainsworth''': I agree that post-install assistants are not a good idea and that on-demand codec installation (see EasyCodecInstallation) is better, ''providing you have a good internet connection''. For those that don't, perhaps a PackageCD with the above assistant set to autorun on mount would be a good idea?

Restricted Multimedia Formats - The Post-Install Assistant

This is the basic specification for the "Post-Install Multimedia Assistant", one of the solutions proposed in RestrictedFormatsSolutions, for the problem described in RestrictedFormatsProblem.

The idea is to enable legally-entitled users to add support for many popular multimedia formats (MP3, DVDs, MPEG-4, etc) in a semi-automated way.

The Assistant should basically work this way:

1) After Ubuntu's installation, and if there is an active Internet connection, present a standard dialog to the user. It could pop automatically, or on request (via Desktop shortcut?). The text of that dialog could be something like this:

Free Software offers excellent support for the most popular multimedia formats (like MP3, MPEG-4 aka "DivX", or DVDs).

But unluckily, certain restrictions (such as software patents) make it illegal to distribute Ubuntu with such support, in certain countries like the United States of America, or Japan.

If you live in a country with such restrictions, please click "Cancel". You'll be able to play some restricted formats by installing non-Free Software (like RealPlayer), or keep enjoying content in Free formats (like Ogg Vorbis audio or Theora video).

If you live in a country without those restrictions, feel free to install the necessary packages to unlock restricted formats, by clicking on "OK".

2) If the user clicks on "Cancel", the dialog could just close, or offer him the option of installing RealPlayer automatically.

3) If the user clicks on "OK", the Assistant would then add the necessary repositories to the sources list (Universe, Multiverse, and Penguin Liberation Front), and download / install the necessary packages (GStreamer plugins including FFmpeg, and libdvdcss2).

  • (NOTE: This Assistant is supposed to add support for the most common formats in one step, not on a per-case basis like EasyCodecInstallation)

Comments

  • RobJCaskey: Please note, some valuable comments were taken into consideration in production of this revision. Please see the page history. It would be much appreciated if original contributors would update their comments and place them here, but not inline in the proposal.

  • ArwynHainsworth: I just cleaned the page a bit further and removed the 'Alternate Proposal', since it was an implementation suggestion for EasyCodecInstallation, which is not what this proposal is about. The on-topic part of the deleted section was (not a quote): implementing a post-install assistant is a bad idea and on-demand codec install is better (see EasyCodecInstallation). Please see the page history for the full deleted text.

  • ArwynHainsworth: I agree that post-install assistants are not a good idea and that on-demand codec installation (see EasyCodecInstallation) is better, providing you have a good internet connection. For those that don't, perhaps a PackageCD with the above assistant set to autorun on mount would be a good idea?


CategorySpec

RestrictedFormatsAssistant (last edited 2008-08-06 16:38:05 by localhost)