Dori wrote:
On Mon, 26 Jul 2004 16:15:44 +0100, Pete/Pcb21
<pete_pcb21_wpmail(a)pcbartlett.com> wrote:
snip
The question is: Is forcing them to do this a big
deal? You appear to
say no it isn't. I would disagree and say yes it IS a big deal. Many,
many web users CAN NOT update software on their computer (virtually
anyone on a locally managed network: school, library, office, cybercafe
etc) because they do not have the rights to do so. Only home users would.
No the question is, do we inconvenience Windows users to download a
legal and free plugin, or do we force FOSS users get illegal/pay
software?
[This is getting a little away from the remit of the technical mailing
list, perhaps follow up at wikipedia-l?]
I must protest a little bit. You selectively edit my post in order to
suggest something that I am not, then attack me for it. I was talking
solely in the context of Windows - raising some points that Jimbo may
not have been aware and then saying "the question is are those points
important?" This is plainly different from suggesting that Windows users
are the only people we care about. Remember that James's initial post
was about creating a migration path.
Note: we bend
over backwards to support all major browsers (minimizing
JavaScript etc) because most people cannot change their browser. Yet
when we come to sound, we are changing tack.
Do we force people to pay for content or have them view it illegally
(well maybe we do when it comes to fair use, but that's a different
argument)?
Whether this consideration is sufficiently strong
in order for us to
consider allowing other formats, I'm not sure. But it is worth bearing
in mind before going GNUng-ho into going ogg-only.
We're not GNUng-ho for the sake of being GNUng-ho, there actually are
some sound reasons behind it (like the whole GFDL concept vs
copyrighting everything ala Britannica). Do we want to impose a
DVD/CSS style hassle on our users?
It appears you can _play_ MP3s libreally and gratisly. The difficulty is
creating them. Thus as long as the uploader "signs" to say they have
done so legally, then the migration path that allows dual formats (even
of the same piece) might be an option.
Pete