Re: [bongo-devel] Re: bongo.el --- flexible and usable media player

[Richard Stallman]

    I guess this attitude is what RMS has a problem with.
    He's saying we should boycott mplayer until they start
    caring about software freedom.

    Is that right, Richard?

My position is a little stronger than that.  As long as mplayer
recommends non-free codecs, we should not support mplayer.

    On the other hand, I believe --- and please correct me if I
    am wrong --- that VLC in fact does not encourage use of
    non-free software.  Why don't they brag about this more?

I do not know, but I speculate that they are supporters of the open
source philosophy rather than the free software philosophy.  The idea
of open source is that you should aim only for making software
powerful and reliable.  That world view does not suggest that freedom
is worth fighting for.

I think it is a mistaken view, but lots of people in our community
support it.

    > Since you have contributed to EMMS, can you share with us how
    > it happened that it was included in GNU with mplayer support?

I suspect the reason is that nobody noticed the issue at the time.  It
would be better if EMMS did not include mplayer support.

I will look at raising the issue now.  It may be touchy, but better
late than never.