Free as in Freedom

[nat1192]

I know that for a majority of the users of the Pandora, playing MP3's and watching MPEG's is a given. However, I would like to know if there is any kind of plan to allow the user to remove these from the operating system and replace them with *free* alternatives such as OGG Vorbis and Theora. It is not enough for me to have the OS "open source"; it also needs to be "free", as in not restricted by patents.

Also, is anyone aware on whether or not the included WiFi module requires a "binary firmware blob" in order to be used?

 

[PoisonedV]

Well, there will be OGG vorbis and FLAC. and vlc will get ported soon. the pandora isnt even coming with an mp3 player on it.

 

[zxxgp]

I am sure the Pandora will be able to support the free formats. It would not make sense otherwise.
p&|a

 

[nat1192]

I am sure the Pandora will be able to support the free formats. It would not make sense otherwise.
p&|a

I am not so much worried about the support for OGG being included, that is almost a given. My concern is MPEG/MP3, which are both *non-free* being included, as well as the infamous binary blobs that may be needed to support the wifi module.

 

[Etinin]

You can always remove the MP3/MPEG codecs and probably use some free (as in speech) alternative Wi-Fi driver, even if it doesn't perform as well as the original one, most frequently used chipsets have some kind of free driver, but IDK if it would work out of the box with Arm.

 

[PoisonedV]

Also, whats up with GNU developers and being so condescending. its like they got pissed off that everyone just says "Linux" instead of "GNU/Linux" and now try to piss off as many people as possible. we all understand the free beer analogy.

 

[nat1192]

its like they got pissed off that everyone just says "Linux" instead of "GNU/Linux" and now try to piss off as many people as possible.

That is not the idea. The idea is that GNU and Linux are symbiotes: one cannot survive without the other. Anyway, this is just the preferred name: the (L)GPL allows you to rename the program whatever you want it to be.

we all understand the free beer analogy.

You may, but many users of GNU/Linux don't.

 

[CronoTriggerfan]

Well, there will be OGG vorbis and FLAC. and vlc will get ported soon. the pandora isnt even coming with an mp3 player on it.

It's not? There were several stock programs that were promised. Limited, yes, but a media player was one of 'em. Damn, I wish I still had the old forums to link to...

 

[mkinzler]

You may, but many users of GNU/Linux don't.

Doesn't matter for most of "just" users

 

[Prometheus]

Well, there will be OGG vorbis and FLAC. and vlc will get ported soon. the pandora isnt even coming with an mp3 player on it.

It's not? There were several stock programs that were promised. Limited, yes, but a media player was one of 'em. Damn, I wish I still had the old forums to link to...

If my memory serves me correctly, I believe it was stated that a media player would have to be left off of the machine *as shipped* in order to avoid patent concerns/issues, but would most likely be available as a download from day one.

 

[Kyosys]

I am sure the Pandora will be able to support the free formats. It would not make sense otherwise.
p&|a

I am not so much worried about the support for OGG being included, that is almost a given. My concern is MPEG/MP3, which are both *non-free* being included, as well as the infamous binary blobs that may be needed to support the wifi module.

Mp3 being included?! That'd be HORRIBLE

but no, they won't be included by default, because then they would have to pay fees

 

[Tobriand]

probably use some free (as in speech) alternative Wi-Fi driver ... most frequently used chipsets have some kind of free driver

The WiFi chipset in Pandora is unlikely to have such, I suspect. We've been told before that it's bleeding edge technology and NDAd down sufficiently that they can't tell us anything more than
- It does WiFi
- It does Bluetooth
- It uses very little power for something that does the above

I'd think the chances of a free (as in speech) driver being available for such a chipset are relatively slim, surely?

Plus, of course, the SGX driver is a binary blob. So if you're going free as in speech, you'll lose most of the advanced 3D capabilities of the unit. You'll still be able to play Quake2 though (iirc the vid with that was either using Neon or the DSP for extra calculations, but definitely not the SGX).

I don't see any reason why you couldn't get rid of mpeg support if you really wanted. But it's certainly conceivable that, given that it'll probably be compiled in to most media players released for Pandora, you may have to do some work porting an .ogg player etc. yourself.

 

[Chip]

Toby's got the the wifi / SGX driver situation exactly right. There will not be an open driver for either anytime in the foreseeable future. There will be an open go-between that allows you to recompile the OS without needing the driver source, as well as squaring the binary blob driver with the GPL.

As for codecs, the Pandora will ship with none for the exact reasons Nat brings up. There will most likely be a version of MPlayer available for download when the Pandora ships. If the codecs bundled with MPlayer do not meet your moral requirements, you do not have to use it.

 

[mkinzler]

The question is how compatible is the SGX chip to the PowerVR II of the dreamcast.

 

[Chip]

Not enough as to make any difference in writing a DC emulator. We don't have access to the DC OS source code, nor do we have direct hardware access to the SGX.

 

[atomicthumbs]

You can have your Freedom Pandora so that you can go to the Patent-Free Planet and still use it, but you won't be able to play 3D games.

 

[polkunus]

I'm confused in why would he want to do all this?

 

[FireHazard51]

I'm confused in why would he want to do all this?

Read Free as in Freedom by Richard Stallman here at http://oreilly.com/openbook/freedom/. You'll better understand why, maybe not completely, but better than before.

 

[Exophase]

I'm going to port software to Pandora that won't be GPLed. GASP

Discuss.

 

[FireHazard51]

I'm going to port software to Pandora that won't be GPLed. GASP

Surely you wouldn't do such a thing!!!