[haiku-development] Re: alpha release window ?
- From: "François Revol" <revol@xxxxxxx>
- To: haiku-development@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 07 Aug 2009 20:40:47 +0200 CEST
> The attached patch introduces a new configure option to
> --include-patented-code. This patch will, per this option, enable the
> known
> to be patented Freetype bytecode interpreter (better Truetype
> hinter),
> which I carelessly enabled a while ago, the sub-pixel font rendering,
> as
> well as the problematic encoders and media file formats.
Hmmm...
> For Ubuntu, it works like this: You download an image and install it.
> When
> you first try to playback a media source which is unsupported out of
> the
> box, they display a warning about the patent issues and let you, very
> easily, install the necessary codecs.
Indeed, and they also make you download binary firmwares optionnally,
which means if you want to enable your wifi card you need to download
the firmw... oh crap (yes it happenned to me at RMLL in 2008).
> IANAL, but how is this different from offering two different images
> on our
> download site? One for people in software-patent affected countries
> and one
> for the rest of us, with proper warning. That way, we solve the issue
> at
> download time, without having to invent some fancy auto-fetching of
> codecs
> post-install.
>
> What do you guys think of this solution?
Ethically I don't like it because it could be seen as we endorse
software patents since we show care about them.
The very fact that we are actually discussing it makes them win, sadly
:^)
I'd rather just discard the issue, and make it a known issue like
"this includes software that might be covered by software patents in
your country. If you have issues with this, contact your MP and explain
them how bad they are.".
Even point them to http://stopsoftwarepatents.org/ :D
Working around the issue means we give them points, and I don't like
the idea at all.
This may sound political but it's just about free speech.
cf. http://ffii.org/Frequently_Asked_Questions_about_software_patents
François.
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