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Very much dissapointed with Linux

 
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I desperately wanted to get Linux on my system in any one of the following distro Ubuntu, Fedora. But later I realized that I need an internet connection to completely configure Ubuntu to make what all I can do with windows, like playing music (mp3), watching mpeg movies and so on. But I really got disappointed to know that I need an internet to get all this happen.
 
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I could imagine that there are license restrictions on some of these components that prevent them from being shipped with the distro.

But it sounds like you got it to work without too much hassle, so it doesn't seem to be a big deal? Single-sourced operating systems like Windows and OS X also rely on Internet connections to download and install patches and updates (although not the initial install, apart from the WGA crap).
 
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If it's just the codec, it's actually not so bad. And if you use Totem which ships with Ubuntu, it's very easy to install the necessary codec. Just play the mp3 file, for example file and it will prompt you to download the codec (gstreamer or whatever). It's as simple as that. Even in Windows, if you play non-supported Windows Media Player format, Windows Media Player will try search and install the necessary codec. So I guess it's the same thing.
 
Joe San
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It's absolutely fine. But what is the music format that is widely used?? I guess it's ,mp3...am I right. So they should have supported it somehow without having to do any download.
 
Ulf Dittmer
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MP3 is patented, and needs to be licensed; see here. So unless you're Apple or Microsoft, and willing to pay money to do so, your distribution options are likely to be limited. It looks like this is a consequence of that.
 
Freddy Wong
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Like what Ulf has mentioned, it's due to the license restrictions. It's like why Sun JVM never ships with Linux. It's something that can't be helped. Unless the mp3 technology has been open sourced, then you won't see it bundled in Linux.
 
Joe San
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I'm sure that I don't want to get internet connection at home and that means I'll never use Linux until I'm able to get mp3 up and running on it.
 
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But you do have an Internet connection somewhere, otherwise you wouldn't be able to use JavaRanch... :roll:

You can just download the stuff you need for Linux (MP3 codec etc.) and copy it to your Linux computer when you get home.

You don't absolutely need an Internet connection on the computer that's running Linux. It's just a bit more work to get some stuff to work if you don't have an Internet connection.
 
Joe San
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Ok Jesper. I'm gonna try this in the weekend and if it works, I'm gonna just start using Ubuntu from now on. Let's see and I hope it works.
 
Joe San
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Can you please help me locate the codec that I need to download and take it to my home system so that I can play mp3? Please!
 
Freddy Wong
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The easiest way if you use Ubuntu is to use

or

Both of these have mp3 codec. This will let you play mp3 in Totem or Rhythmbox.

Give it a shot
 
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I find it interesting that listening to MP3's is holding you back. I rarely listen to music on my PC. I've got an MP3 player for that. If you bought your computer to listen to MP3's that is one mighty pricey music box you've got there.
 
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Gregg,
I understand Jothi's concern because I use my computer to play MP3, and this is why I don't think it's a "pricey music box": MP3 or not I use my computer a lot, it's sitting there and it's on most of the time. I have my old non-MP3 stereo that sounds just fine and is always connected to my computer. So... why not just take advantage of my computer's ability to play music, and stop handling CDs, which take up so much room when a few clicks will do? I have transferred most of my big CD collection into MP3 files for quick access from my desktop... I even developed my own Swing app to browse through them nicely, and to start them via the player of choice.
 
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Aw come on. think about it. Yes, a PC is an expensive MP3 player, but if you're already sitting in front of one, why buy an iPod if you just want music to code to?

Freddy, your suggestion has one fatal flaw - the Ubuntu system's at home, so an apt-get install from the work PC won't help!

What Jothi really needs is the URL of a package archive website and the name of the MP3 codec package. I don't happen to have them handy myself, since I use Fedora and grab RPM's from livna.org or Dag Weiers.
 
Gregg Bolinger
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Originally posted by Tim Holloway:
Aw come on. think about it. Yes, a PC is an expensive MP3 player, but if you're already sitting in front of one, why buy an iPod if you just want music to code to?



I'm just saying...

Very much dissapointed with Linux...like playing music (mp3), watching mpeg movies and so on...



Yea, linux sucks because I need an internet connection. :roll:
 
Freddy Wong
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the Ubuntu system's at home, so an apt-get install from the work PC won't help!


Oo.. didn't read the post carefully. It's pretty late here, I guess my brain is not working anymore Sorry, I don't have the URL right now. If I know something, I'll let you know.
 
Jesper de Jong
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You can download packages for Ubuntu manually from http://packages.ubuntu.com/ (you can find all available official Ubuntu packages there).

Ubuntu packages are *.deb files. I don't have Ubuntu on my computer at the moment (I'm going to install it again in a few weeks when my new laptop arrives and Ubuntu 7.10 is released), and I don't remember the exact command to install a package from a *.deb file, but you can probably find it quickly in the Ubuntu documentation.
 
Joe San
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Guys,

Thanks for all your posts here. I use my system a lot to work on java and when I work I just play the music loud. This was the reason why I wanted to have Ubuntu play mp3's. So if anyone has done an of line installation for mp3 support on Ubuntu, kindly help me.

Thanks!
 
Jesper de Jong
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Try asking your question on http://ubuntuforums.org/ where there are a lot of expert Ubuntu users who can explain you step by step what to do.
 
Joe San
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Thanks and let me try it there.
 
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They're trying to bring Linux on Desktop (successfully), but don't forget that it grow up as server unit. If you really want to take advantages from linux you should use it for that purposes. If you need to play or listen to the music use a Mac instead.
 
Jesper de Jong
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Alessandro, you should really try to use a Linux distribution such as Ubuntu sometime, and see how far Linux on the desktop has come since you've last looked at it... :roll:
 
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Originally posted by Alessandro Ilardo:
They're trying to bring Linux on Desktop (successfully), but don't forget that it grow up as server unit.



No, actually, Linux was born on Linus Torvalds' 386 computer where he used it to launch a terminal application to connect to his university. That means he used it as what could be called a desktop.

Linux got a quick adoption rate as a server OS in businesses because of the three letter acronyms ROI and TCO, and because of its robustness.

I think it is the lack of really user-friendly desktop applications that has held it back on the desktop, and the fact that you basically need to be a systemadministrator to get it up and running and use it. SuSE tried to change that early on, but I think that only since Ubuntu appeared on the stage the consumer-oriented Linux desktop is making real leaps ahead.

I 'played' with the alternate install CD of Ubuntu 7.10 for PowerPC on my PowerBook G4 last weekend, and was really surprised how good everything worked out of the box. Even the 3D desktop worked on my PPC machine. (If there is anything that you do not expect on PowerPC hardware, then it is supported 3D graphics.) Only my Airport Extreme card would not want to connect to my WLAN at home, and playing DVDs is still not (legally) possible with an out-of-the-box-Linux. For everything else VLC still is the best player.

Anyway, the Ubuntu community did an excellent job, and they deserve the hype they are receiving.

About Linux requiring the Internet to make it all happen: Linux is a child of the Internet. The Internet is the place where it is being developed and where it lives. Linux itself would never have happened without the Internet.

However, if you cannot download everything from the web but require commercial/proprietary software pieces like mp3 support, probably the only way to get it is by buying a commercial DVD distribution of Novell SuSE Linux (which is different from the free OpenSuSE). And please bear in mind that this is a --legal-- limitation of free distributions like Ubuntu and not a technical one. mp3 is patented technology 'owned' by the Fraunhofer Institute. Like software for DVD playback, it cannot be distributed freely.
[ November 07, 2007: Message edited by: Winfried Maus ]
 
Don't get me started about those stupid light bulbs.
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