[Tux4kids-tuxtype-dev] non free sounds & better backgrounds

[David Bruce]

Hi Caroline, Brendan, et al

On Thu, Sep 10, 2009 at 5:51 PM, Caroline Ford
<caroline.ford.work at googlemail.com> wrote:
> There will probably be licencing issues. MP3 codec is patented I think. In
> Ubuntu MP3 support is in the restricted (ie non free) repository. Not
> allowed to ship Ubuntu with MP3 support without paying the rightsholder.
> There is a guide to enabling but it's all at your own risk etc.

A default Ubuntu or Debian install most definitely has the ability to
play mp3 files, even if it isn't in a form that is easily accessible
to "end users".  Both Ubuntu and Debian have libsmpeg0 in main, which
supports mp3 playback.  libsmpeg0 is a dependency of libsdl-mixer1.2,
which we already use - basically all we have to do in tuxmath or
tuxtype is to tell SDL_mixer "here, play this file", and it will play
it if the file is in a format supported by smpeg (ogg, mp3, Amiga
soundtracker, maybe some others).  Our code doesn't have to worry
about or even know what format is being used.

So if Ubuntu (and Debian) are OK with libsmpeg0 being in main, I don't
see how they could object if our apps use this library for generic
support of user-supplied audio files.

Best,

David Bruce