Not so easy to do.  MP3s, for better or worse, are already entrenched in 
the market.  Just look at the number of devices - car radios, portable cd 
players, etc - that have the ability to play MP3s.  Ogg may be a "better" 
format due to all the IP insanity, but at this time Ogg is to MP3 what 
Beta was to VHS.

Switching to/supporting one format over the other is not the answer.  
Addressing all of this IP BS and patent bs (and their supporting tyrants) 
and coming up with a workable solution is where all efforts should be 
focused.


On 17 Oct 2002, Derek Neighbors wrote:

> On Thu, 2002-10-17 at 09:03, Matt Alexander wrote:
> > What specifically doesn't work?  If you mean it doesn't play MP3 files,
> > then that's correct.  RedHat didn't want to be liable for any of the MP3
> > nonsense so they didn't include the mpg123 plugin.  Go to http://xmms.org
> > and download the xmms-mpg123 RPM, and you'll be set.
> 
> Specifically Red Hat is a good member of the free software community. 
> Despite trashings on slashdot and elsewhere.  They do not wish to break
> patent law or succumb to inferior patents by paying patent levies to
> arrogant "intellectual property" (sic) tyrants.
> 
> The right answer is not 'download the xmms-mpg123' rpm.  The right
> answer is use .ogg format instead.  Demand it from those whom you trade
> music with.  So that mp3 will go away. ;)
> 
> I say this because there may come a day in which you wont be able to
> freely download xmms-mpg123 either.  It is better to free your self from
> the mp3 patent now, instead of when its too late. ;)
> 
>