How is a developer going to improve the Tivo-related Linux code without a Tivo on which to test? Tivoization affects users, developers and developer/users.
...play most video formats with a single simple player that treats files of the same extension all alike (.mkv and.avi will not play the same in all players), and the ability to play DVDs, etc,...
As a side note, the GPL has several official translations.
From http://www.gnu.org/licenses/translations.html
The reason the FSF does not approve these translations as officially valid is that checking them would be difficult and expensive (needing the help of bilingual lawyers in other countries). Even worse, if an error did slip through, the results could be disastrous for the whole free software community. As long as the translations are unofficial, they can't do any harm, and we hope they help more people understand the GPL.
We give permission to publish translations of the GPL, GFDL, or LGPL into other languages, provided that you (1) label your translations as unofficial (see below for how to do this), to inform people that they do not count legally as substitutes for the authentic version, and (2) you agree to install changes at our request, if we learn from other friends of GNU that changes are necessary to make the translation clearer.
Why is some "part-time OSS developer" automatically assumed to be less astute than a corporate software hack or somebody doing research at a university? A lot of part-time OSS developers are corporate software hacks and university researchers in the rest of their time.
If the project is good enough for you to want to use, I'd say you're confirming that its developers are competent. With respect to honesty, it only takes one honest auditor to flush out any wrongdoing, but it takes 100% dishonest auditors to cover it up.
I have the luxury of not running any code I don't trust. I sympathize that you don't have this luxury.
I don't know if Firefox has a backdoor that will be enabled next week. I haven't audited all the code. I doubt you have either.
No, I haven't. Fortunately for us, there are thousands of people auditing the code at any given moment. I have audited the Gaim code, however. I can assure you that there is no backdoor.
A trained monkey could pass a driver's test in 2006. I passed one on the highway this morning. He was actually doing better than most of the other drivers, as he wasn't applying mascara, talking on the phone, and smoking.
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OMG! There are like 200 full-time employees doing nothing but taking breaks and going to lunch!
I have to wonder what kinds of things get flagged as sex-related. How many of the items are goatse?
OK. The wealth of the few in those areas doesn't take away the poverty of the many.
On a global scale, these things are still true.
There are 16, or 17 if you count the one that's away at college.
How is a developer going to improve the Tivo-related Linux code without a Tivo on which to test? Tivoization affects users, developers and developer/users.
Mplayer? VLC?
And Sweden! Don't forget Sweden! Yarr!
Don't forget about the Ubuntu news!
And internet users, to prevent copyright infringement!
(by like, arresting those people)
Arrest them? On what charge, being crack addicts? In that case, we should probably start arresting alcoholics too, to preempt D[UW]Is...
Wtf, it's illegal to embarrass someone? Can you be prosecuted for embarrassing yourself?
This means that shortly, there will be 611 more bugfixes and 71 more potential security fixes!
No, the fact that NTFS is not an OS means that NTFS is not a real and reliable OS.
As a side note, the GPL has several official translations.
In what way is being able to give a copy of an application to your friend "totally irrelevant to the end user?"
Some OSs do that. ;-)
Why is some "part-time OSS developer" automatically assumed to be less astute than a corporate software hack or somebody doing research at a university? A lot of part-time OSS developers are corporate software hacks and university researchers in the rest of their time.
Easy. There's no such thing as "intellectual property." And there's no such thing as a legitimate software patent.
If the project is good enough for you to want to use, I'd say you're confirming that its developers are competent. With respect to honesty, it only takes one honest auditor to flush out any wrongdoing, but it takes 100% dishonest auditors to cover it up.
I have the luxury of not running any code I don't trust. I sympathize that you don't have this luxury.
What, have you *NEVER* used Gnumeric?
What do OO Calc or Excel do better than Gnumeric?
I don't know if Firefox has a backdoor that will be enabled next week. I haven't audited all the code. I doubt you have either.
No, I haven't. Fortunately for us, there are thousands of people auditing the code at any given moment.
I have audited the Gaim code, however. I can assure you that there is no backdoor.
A trained monkey could pass a driver's test in 2006.
I passed one on the highway this morning.
He was actually doing better than most of the other drivers, as he wasn't applying mascara, talking on the phone, and smoking.
Does this mean you can report the policemen for wasting police time? Sounds like a golden opportunity to me.