June 20th, 2007
Media support in Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn
Today I continue my “Windows to Linux Chronicles” by looking at what media support is like under Ubuntu 7.04.
The test is simple. Take a few test files and see if they’ll play. For the test I chose the following files:
- An MP3 test file
- A WMA test file (a DRM-free file of course)
- A QuickTime 7 movie
Note: Full image gallery available here.
The test is simple. Save these files onto the Ubuntu desktop, double-click and see what Ubuntu does. I already know that Linux will try its best to find a way to run the files so it’ll be interesting to see how easy this process is and how well it works.
MP3
When I clicked on the MP3 file a program called Totem Movie Player fired up. This seemed odd to me, I was expecting an audio player, or a generic player, not one that specifically referred to movies. Anyway, a few seconds after it fired up I got a message saying that a codec was needed.
OK, under Windows this kind of message can be pretty hit-n-miss so I wasn’t sure what to expect. However, within seconds it has found some codecs for me and I chose one (GStreamer extra plugin) and installed it. What happened next bugged me a little and it would continue to bug me each time I came across it during the test. I kept being presented with dialog boxes telling me that the codec was “restricted software” and that I had to verify that I was allowed to use the software:
Hmmm. Now, I’m not a lawyer but at this point I sure felt like I needed one. If this kind of thing makes me feel nervous then I’m not sure how it’s going to make less confident users feel. The bottom line (I think) is that liability for use of the codecs (or certain codecs anyway) is passed onto the user. Is this legal? Is this ethical? No idea (maybe someone else can clarify this). One thing’s for sure, it feels dodgy. This kind of grey area is yet another example of why Linux is far from ready for prime time.
Putting aside the feeling that I was agreeing to something that felt ambiguous (although I think I can safely say I fall into the “research purposes” category) the remainder of the installation process was fast and within a few seconds the MP3 file was playing in Totem Movie Player.
Success!
WMA
For the next test I tried playing a WMA file under Ubuntu.
The results were pretty much identical to playing an MP3 file. I double-clicked the file, Totem Movie Player fired up, and after thinking about the situation for a few seconds decided it needed to look for a codec. I agreed to the search and soon a suitable codec was found and downloaded. I then had to swear that I was entitled to use the codec before it installed. After all this was completed (a process that took a couple of minutes) the file played perfectly.
Another success.
Next –>
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Adrian is a technology journalist and author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology. He also runs a popular blog called The PC Doctor. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations
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