Possible SPAM: [TriLUG] video and dvd buring on Linux?

[Bill Vinson]

On Mon, Nov 18, 2002 at 11:54:46AM -0500, Michael Thompson wrote:
> >
> > Should I just save $$ until I can get a iMac with a DVD burner (the
> > mega Mac is out of the question at this time) or do it the Linux way?
> >
> 
> You may want to read this article before making any Apple purchase:
> 
> Apple: Burn DVDs--and we'll burn you (with the DMCA)
> 
> http://news.com.com/2100-1023-955805.html
> 
> --mwt

This is REALLY not a reason to avoid Apple. They package iDVD with their
internal DVD burners.  The software is added-value for people who buy
their hardware.  Nothing wrong with making a good piece of software
available to people buying your equipment so they can get the most out
of it.  iDVD isn't available for sale outside of hardware with the sole
exception of a $20 upgrade for users of the older version.

Now, if you buy an external DVD burner (which incidently Apple doesn't
sell, so they make no money off of it), you have to find software to use
to burn DVD videos.  Apple does not sell iDVD and it isn't designed to
work with an external burner, so that is not a good option. They do sell
DVD Studio Pro which is like a $1000 but is designed with Pros in mind.
This software is designed to work with both internal & external burners.

So, in conclusion, if you hack iDVD to work with your external burner,
Apple makes no profit and you have just removed a reason to buy their
hardware.  Considering you can't legally buy iDVD to work with the
external burner, where is the problem here.  This is not some commercial
software that you have adjusted to fit your rights of fair use as a
consumer, this is software that you are only licensed to use if you
have an Apple DVD player.  Apple is not selling the software, it is a
bundle that is only available with the hardware.  They deserve to make
money on their labor and have their rights protected, just as Open
Source developers have the right to have their work protected.  As the
owner of an iBook that can never have an internal DVD burner, I would
love it if Apple released iDVD with the ability to burn on external DVD
burners, but I am also not going to try to screw them just to have my
own wants satisfied.

Michael, sorry, this was not a flame on you as you simply posted the
story, but I expect others to give companies like Apple the same respect
of their licensing choices as Apple has given us.  They have honored on
all their code (that I know of) and have released fixes back to the
community in most (if not all) cases. Can't say for sure on that as I
don't know, but it seems fitting we treat them with the same respect.

Stepping off the soap box ;)
Bill