Linux.com

Legality of Proprietary codecs on Linux in north America. On most distribution you can add source repository that contain proprietary codecs. Like PLF for mandriva and Medibuntu for ubuntu. For exemple GeeXBoX 1.1 seem to me to include a lot of proprietary windows multimedia codecs. Did the folk who made GeeXBoX paid for the license or did they just put them in there distro and hope that nobody will notice? What are the legal alternative for Linux user. Beside buying a commercial version Mandriva? I'm asking those questions because I am planning to offer my client the choice of OS for there custom computer and of course I want to stay in business.

Think Big

Linux on the desktop grew and matured in 2006. While some analysts reported a slowing of Linux penetration on the desktop in 2006, a number of significant milestones were reached that promise to continue to move the Linux desktop ahead in 2007. As Gerry Riveros, Red Hat product marketing manager for client solutions put it, "What I think was most important [in 2006] were all of the 'under the hood' incremental improvements that took place around printing, plug-and-play support, laptop enablement and the arrival of the compositing manager that allows for modern graphics." These and other improvements are setting the next stage of growth for the Linux desktop. A number of projects and teams have moved beyond alpha positioning and ownership to focus on how their efforts contribute to overall desktop Linux objectives. "In 2006, it appeared that developers were aware of how each other's projects help to accomplish the shared goals of all the projects," said John Terpstra, Advanced Micro Devices Linux Evangelist. Over 70 of the key desktop architects have met three times this year to agree on focus areas that would make desktop Linux "just work." This report will spotlight several of the most important advances for the Linux desktop in 2006, including improved desktop functionality, new applications, standards and interoperability, Linux distribution activities and market growth.