Sometimes, the smallest of things can amaze me. I'm a sucker for details, which probably lies at the base of my slightly obsessive-compulsive traits of keeping things organized, tidy, aligned, and neat. It's great to see some companies are suckers for details too. Unless the details just become too insignificant. Note: Sunday Eve Column. Short, this week, though.
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Member since:2005-07-06
www.kernel.org doesn't include anything but the kernel, of course. But Linux distributions do, actually.
Would you be pleased to see Ubuntu or SuSE in a court because they're playing unfair for competition by bundling free mplayer or k3b instead of RealPlayer and NeroLinux?
Member since:2006-04-21
I'm not playing wordgames here. A Linux distribution (which some refer to as a GNU/Linux distribution, to which some people object on such-and-such a ground...) is not a collection of software, all of which comes from one company.
On the contrary: quite often, Linux distributions include 3 or 4 or 5 different programs, from different companies/organizations, doing more or less the same thing (which leads to another set of complaints, but anyway)... Some distros include a default set of software, some provide almost nothing by default. Nevertheless, there is still a CHOICE between them - more of a choice than that provided by XP or XPN at the same price. And as I understand it, the inclusion or otherwise of RealPlayer and a version of Nero for Linux has more to do with their parent companies wanting to restrict the use of such programs, or with a lack of will or resources to port them.
I know of no Linux distro which even takes steps to *prevent* you installing any software, including that which they say they cannot bundle because to do so would be *illegal*.
Edited 2006-05-07 22:13
Member since:2005-06-29
Member since:
2006-04-21
Linux doesn't include software, all of which comes from Torvalds, OY of Finland. It doesn't even include all GNU software, or only software provided by GNU.