[NCLUG] Re: Ubuntu sound problems--Installfest question

[Brian Wood]

On Apr 10, 2008, at 12:57 PM, Bob Proulx wrote:
>  But in general everyone who is running
> GNU/Linux is running a very similar Linux kernel and I wouldn't
> consider it a good reason to choose one distro over another.  Within
> the set of free drivers for supported hardware.  And I advocate not
> using the non-free drivers and I am willing to buy hardware
> specifically with free driver support in mind.
>
> In summary, it is all the same if you are using free drivers and if
> you are not then you should.

That's certainly a good attitude, but it's often not possible. Try  
getting decent 3D video acceleration using only the free video drivers  
for example.

I've heard rumblings of the kernel refusing to load non-free drivers  
in the future, which seems to me to go against the "freedom of choice"  
concept in Linux. If I choose to use nVidia's proprietary video driver  
I should not be penalized, and if I decide to purchase a commercial X  
server in order to get a laptop's display working properly I should be  
able to do that.

Different distros seem to have differing attitudes towards even free  
software that  might be of questionable legality in some  
jurisdictions. MP3 code and the decss DVD decrypter are good examples.  
The attitude of the distro makers probably reflects their country of  
origin to an extent, nobody wants to get sued even if they feel they  
are morally in the right.

I'll use free drivers if they suit my needs, but I certainly have no  
problem with purchasing or using commercial software if it does what I  
need it to do for a reasonable price (note: no Microsoft product falls  
into that category).

The different distros all seem to have different target audiences, and  
a major difference is what packaging scheme they have chosen. Ubuntu,  
at least initially, appealed to folks moving from Windows, CentOS to  
people wanting stability and security, Sabayon to people hooked on eye  
candy, Gentoo to do-it-yourselfers and FC appealing to chronic  
upgraders :-)

beww