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List Info
Thread: Re: Ubuntu CNR deal
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| Re: Ubuntu CNR deal |
 
United States |
2007-02-13 07:41:05 |
Hi,
On Sun, February 11, 2007 11:12 pm, Philip Wyett wrote:
> On 09/02/07, Dean Sas <dean deansas.org> wrote:
>>
>> Philip Wyett wrote:
>> > Hi all,
>> >
>> > I have been reading about the Ubuntu /
Linspire CNR deal and I have
>> > some serious reservations about it.
>> >
>> > Will CNR be part of a default desktop
installation?
>>
>> Not according to the FAQ that was released with the
press release. We
>> are to get some "CNR like" features
eventually. I imagine this could tie
>> in to the new totem hook which prompts you to
enable multiverse and
>> install codecs when playing patent encumbered
videos, only perhaps
>> referring you to CNR rather than the legally
questionable packages.
>
>
> Well... In the FAQ we can see "CNR is added to the
standard Ubuntu
> software
> installation method to complement existing
functionality". This covers a
> multitude of sins and could mean many implementation
methods.
>
> Someone needs to come out and honestly say what is the
initial plans at
> this
> time; and make sure that person does not work in any PR
or marketing
> department.
You are more likely to get a response from such a person by
posting to an
appropriate mailing list.
There is nothing -uk specific about this discussion, it
should continue in
Sounder (cc:ed).
My opinion is that I'm fairly confident the developers know
the
disadvantages of adding a separate and parallel installation
software
package, and will ensure that any benefits brought by this
new feature
will be appropriately integrated into the current Ubuntu
setup. For me,
the basic requirements are:
1. Integration with gnome-app-install and existing Ubuntu
channels; and
2. Flagging up the commercial nature of the software
available.
Your post raises a sensible concern about the way that these
new
announcements are communicated. So I'm cc:ing the Canonical
Communications
Manager.
I don't think that the Ubuntu community ever really gets
this information
in the right way - technical implementations of new
commercial and
marketing policies is something that it is extremely
important for the
Ubuntu community to hear from the right source, given
Ubuntu's emphasis on
open development. Unfortunately, the general practice seems
to be to plan
these things behind closed doors (understandable) and then
leave the
general community guessing (and worrying) about the
technical details and
non-marketing consequences (not understandable).
The consequence of this practice is that my view that the
implementation
of this feature will be done in the Right Way has to be
based on trust,
rather than on reliable information having been provided.
That trust is
something I am always willing to give to Canonical based on
past
experience of them doing the right thing for Ubuntu, but I
am always
slightly uncomfortable whenever I have to fall back on it.
I know that it's hard to marry up Canonical's business
activities with an
open development community, but with increased communication
I believe
that improvements can be made.
Matt
--
http://www.mdke.org
gnupg pub 1024D/0E6B06FF
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| Re: Ubuntu CNR deal |
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2007-02-13 09:17:02 |
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On 13/02/07, Matthew East < mdkeubuntu.com" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">mdkeubuntu.com> wrote:
Hi,
On Sun, February 11, 2007 11:12 pm, Philip Wyett wrote:
>; On 09/02/07, Dean Sas < deandeansas.org" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">deandeansas.org
> wrote:
>;>
>> Philip Wyett wrote:
>;> > Hi all,
>;> >
>> > I have been reading about the Ubuntu / Linspire CNR deal and I have
>> > some serious reservations about it.
>> >
>> > Will CNR be part of a default desktop installation?
>>
>>; Not according to the FAQ that was released with the press release. We
>>; are to get some "CNR like" features eventually. I imagine this could tie
>> in to the new totem hook which prompts you to enable multiverse and
>> install codecs when playing patent encumbered videos, only perhaps
>> referring you to CNR rather than the legally questionable packages.
>
>
> Well... In the FAQ we can see "CNR is added to the standard Ubuntu
> software
> installation method to complement existing functionality". This covers a
> multitude of sins and could mean many implementation methods.
>
> Someone needs to come out and honestly say what is the initial plans at
> this
> time; and make sure that person does not work in any PR or marketing
> department.
You are more likely to get a response from such a person by posting to an
appropriate mailing list.
There is nothing -uk specific about this discussion, it should continue in
Sounder (cc:ed).
Raising an issue or thought of this kind is applicable on the UK list. If it eventually
moves elsewhere is a matter of evolution of the conversation. There was nothing
wrong at all with starting the conversation on the UK list.
My opinion is that I'm fairly confident the developers know the
disadvantages of adding a separate and parallel installation software
package, and will ensure that any benefits brought by this new feature
will be appropriately integrated into the current Ubuntu setup. For me,
the basic requirements are:
1. Integration with gnome-app-install and existing Ubuntu channels; and
2. Flagging up the commercial nature of the software available.
Though I do have confidence, I have less confidence with developers having common
sense and making changes in the best manner. Being a developer myself, we often do
things that we know and understand and completely miss the point for the average user.
The average user wants a solution that is consistent, simple and any addition of CNR
I feel will not help in this regard. Think of what is simplest for most. We have syanptic...
yes it needs a lot of improvement on the app level with app naming and descriptions, but
it is a consistent and fairly simple method that should be extended. The deal should really
have been Canonical doing a deal with Linspire that gives us the code that can be built and added
too a specific repository for this kind of content and completely controlled by the Canonical.
This maybe the eventual case, but who knows with no word out of Canonical and us all being
left to look at a poor FAQ on the other vendors site.
Your post raises a sensible concern about the way that these new
announcements are communicated. So I'm cc:ing the Canonical Communications
Manager.
I don't think that the Ubuntu community ever really gets this information
in the right way - technical implementations of new commercial and
marketing policies is something that it is extremely important for the
Ubuntu community to hear from the right source, given Ubuntu';s emphasis on
open development. Unfortunately, the general practice seems to be to plan
these things behind closed doors (understandable) and then leave the
general community guessing (and worrying) about the technical details and
non-marketing consequences (not understandable).
I agree we get poor information. Something the Community Manager 'really' needs
to look at.
The consequence of this practice is that my view that the implementation
of this feature will be done in the Right Way has to be based on trust,
rather than on reliable information having been provided. That trust is
something I am always willing to give to Canonical based on past
experience of them doing the right thing for Ubuntu, but I am always
slightly uncomfortable whenever I have to fall back on it.
I know that it's hard to marry up Canonical's business activities with an
open development community, but with increased communication I believe
that improvements can be made.
We should not need to live on trust and hope. This is a community distribution
with a Community Council. Major changes or additions like this should go to
them and debated within the wider community.
/me will leave alone the rush for eye candy that is currently in progress and only
supported on a few cards with in most cases proprietary drivers. :-/
Regards
Phl
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