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Neil Williams wrote: > On Sun, 01 Apr 2007 19:48:05 +0100 > Simon Williams <simon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > >> I'm also confused- to me that seems like a totally brain dead thing >> to say. Open source and ogg aside, surely there will always be a >> converter available, even if you have to pay for it? >> > > In the proprietary world, it is quite possible to end up in a situation > where a converter or reader for X format is impossible to create > (legally) no matter how much money is offered. It is these kind of > ludicrous dead-ends that make proprietary codecs such a bad idea in the > first place. It doesn't sound logical but who said the law was logical? > > Technology is all about analysis and logic, methods used to control > technology - like DRM, patents, EULA - are not logical in structure and > force the redefinition of technical terms in legal weasel words. The > conflicts that inevitably result can easily create the situation where > any act becomes illegal. This is the legal paralysis that is motivating > many opponents of software patents but it applies just as much to DRM. > > On a side note, a converter is not usually what you want - most of the > codecs that would get into this situation are 'lossy' so converting > from one lossy format to another lossy format only ever reduces the > final quality as each codec loses different parts of the original. The > better option is always a reader (either standalone or as a plugin) > which can render the data without further losses. The end result of > that is that old codecs never die which makes designing a new codec > all the more demanding (or it would if the codec writer bothered to > actually implement the entire standard and nothing else). > > We need open standards, the entire open standard and nothing but the > open standard. > ;-) > > -- > > Neil Williams > ============= > http://www.data-freedom.org/ > http://www.nosoftwarepatents.com/ > http://www.linux.codehelp.co.uk/ > can we really know that ogg vorbis, or any other codec free or not, will be around in 50 years time? And if it is will be compatable with an ancient version? If Your great grandson comes accross a box of CDs in the attic will there be hardware he can look at the stuff on, software he can read them with? This isn't really a open source v closed issue. Its about technological change and the problems future social historians are going to have. OK today I can probably find a PC that'll read a "floppy" (ie 5 inch hard plastic thing) disc, but I'm not sure how I'd be able to read a floppy floppy disc? S -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG http://mailman.dclug.org.uk/listinfo/list FAQ: http://www.dcglug.org.uk/linux_adm/list-faq.html