Free Software Puppy

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greengeek
Posts: 5789
Joined: Tue 20 Jul 2010, 09:34
Location: Republic of Novo Zelande

#21 Post by greengeek »

I think it would be a great idea to be able to identify hardware that could be supported by a "completely free" version of Puppy.

It must be possible.

And it would be a buzz to kick off a new version of youtube using only free codecs. Ok, it would be a small start, but as they say "Mighty oaks from little acorns grow". Also, I feel that freedom from proprietary codecs is another way to move us towards privacy and security (if such a thing can ever exist...)

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gameboyab
Posts: 45
Joined: Sat 01 Sep 2012, 14:14
Location: Anytown, USA

#22 Post by gameboyab »

bark_bark_bark wrote:If puppy only had free software, it would be a disaster playing my music (as they are in .mp3 and I want it that way). I also couldn't connect to the interent without a 100ft+ long ethernet cord.
MP3 playback doesn't require proprietary software to be played back, the only problem is that it's patented, (in the U.S. at least) so the Free Software to play it back is patent infringing. I'd assume that the MP3 decoder in Puppy is free (as in freedom).
Not running as root is the cause of my inferiority complex.

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gameboyab
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Joined: Sat 01 Sep 2012, 14:14
Location: Anytown, USA

#23 Post by gameboyab »

mavrothal wrote: So I would say go for it (besides you do not need anyone's approval, is free remember?).
I am not asking for permission, just help in locating nonfree components.
Not running as root is the cause of my inferiority complex.

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gameboyab
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Joined: Sat 01 Sep 2012, 14:14
Location: Anytown, USA

#24 Post by gameboyab »

Ibidem wrote: mp3 support is technically available in Free software (lame, mad, mpg123 now that it's LGPL), but some argue that the patents mean that a Free distro shouldn't package it; Debian says that decoders count as free now that they have a lawyer to advise them (IIRC).
The distro I use, Trisquel, is based in Spain, where software patents are illegal, so the developers don't have to worry about getting sued for patent infringement.
Not running as root is the cause of my inferiority complex.

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gameboyab
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Location: Anytown, USA

#25 Post by gameboyab »

CLAM01 wrote: The FSF's take seems to be somewhere between "If you don't agree with our guidelines, we don't care what you think" and "If you're not a purist, you're a traitor!"
No one is forced to adhere to their guidelines. Even my computer is not fully free. There is the nonfree BIOS and CPU microcode.

The problem is, if you can't look at the source code of the BIOS and CPU microcode, you don't really know if there are any malicious "features" in them.
Not running as root is the cause of my inferiority complex.

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