No, this isn’t about the stupid max_waves conflict with Apple’s patent that everyone has been ranting (and working around) for the last few years. From what I hear the future 0.9.0 release won’t be hampered by it, but how does Compiz fair with patents? Who made Compiz, and who’s working on it today?
From my understand the original Compiz, before all the forks and subsequent merges, was developed by Novell via David Reveman with help from others. Now, in the aftermath of whatever happened, most (if not all) of the core developers aren’t around – and Novell has moved on too. While the developers are gone they did take a little something with them.
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EVENT-BASED RENDERING OF VISUAL EFFECTS is patent application #20080313540 by Anna Dirks, David Reveman, Stephen Carter, and Scott Isaacson filed back in 2007. This patent would go to someone who deserves it, but can it ever be used against the project in the future? Now Apple is filing for a patent on head tracking, which is something we’ve seen Compiz devs and plug-in writers have been doing for a while now. We want developers to get attributed for their hard work in Open Source, but nobody should have control over the ideas that power these projects.
Ubuntu is using the old 0.8.x branch written in C, while the team has moved on to the 0.9.0 release written in C++. With Ubuntu 10.4 (Lucid Lynx) being an LTS, it’s obviously not going to be in that release. Even once the package is more mature, there is still a big dependency issue lingering. While it’s obvious that the refactoring of the code yielded performance and maintainability benefits, it’s using libboost and favoring C++. With GIMP kicked off the CD to make space, what’s going to happen to Compiz?
Update 1: There is a thread going on UbuntuForums.org related to this, although some of it’s just anti-Apple rhetoric. I wish people would stop hi-jacking real discussion with this crap.
Update 2: I asked Novell if they could shine any light on the situation on January 26, 2010. Hopefully they are willing to at least take a look and get back with something besides a dear-john letter.
Perhaps I am not an average user. But is being on the CD really that big a deal in Ubuntu when the apt repos are only a click away?
I guess I don't understand the benefits of being on the CD besides the non-linux savvy people having your app. But won't most of those non-linus savvy people not know or care what app they are using, just as long as it works?
Being on the CD (or not) will affect other applications. For example, if Compiz wasn't on the CD why would we have the Desktop Effects related dialogs and other features that rely on Compiz?
Also remember that Desktop Effects are a big selling point for desktop users that are enticed by simple marketing to compete in the market.
Things have always been available in some repository, but having it readily available is important. As an example, restricted drivers have been in repositories, but until they where included on the CD (which can be controversial) novice users assumed the system can't make use of that hardware, and view the work required as voodoo.
I see no reason why a 0.9.x package could not make it into Lynx. (P.S.: your web form does not like + symbols in email addresses – this is broken, + is fine in local parts)
Since Lynx is an LTS it should only contain more mature code, which I don't think the 0.9.0 series is mature.
Thanks for letting me know about the problem with + in the e-mail addresses. I use that feature too with GMail so I can easily manage messages with labels, and I too hate when a site treats it as invalid. Since I use IntenseDebate for my comments, I'll see if I can get that fixed or send your complaint their way.
I'm also enabling their OpenID and other authentication services so people don't have to do that.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Kristopher Ives, Kristopher Ives. Kristopher Ives said: Thanks for everyone for getting involved with my #Compiz, #Patents, and #Ubuntu post and whoever reedited me: http://bit.ly/5YjLxn [...]
With what limited counsel I've been able to get, I've been virtually assured that there's "no way" the patent will pass. I can pretty much reaffirm the assumption that Compiz 0.9.0 stands very little chance of making it into Lynx – it's not even done (it's close, and the speed at which plugins can be ported up is quite astounding – Sam got my plugin running in 0.9.0 in a few hours, shocked me quite a bit to see that commit in the git).
In terms of Compiz being on the CD, I can show you hundreds, if not thousands, of posts from the Ubuntu world of new users coming in just because of Compiz and because it came with Ubuntu. Tbh, I foresee a shift to either non-optical media or to DVDs in the near future as the default means of distributing Linux. CDs are an old medium (heck, I haven't burned Ubuntu on a CD in years, I keep wasting full DVDs). With Canonical working down free CD shipments, and the extremely low prices of 2GB USB sticks, the idea of having to fit a distro's default install on a 700MB disc is dying.
Also, re:your tweet from this morning: You're not likely to find David any time soon, at least not through us, he's virtually lost to the Internet.
I agree we should move away from the 700 MB CD limit and onward to a 4.5 GB limit. I also "waste" DVDs everytime I burn a copy, or I use a 2GB or 4GB SD card from time to time.
Sam is awesome
He's done some really cool stuff and I've always liked his attitude, and the community really needs more folks like him without the ego.
[...] With its lamp/genie effect and other ridiculous patents (e.g. [1, 2]), Apple also harms GNU/Linux desktops, not just gadgets. Here is a new post on the subject: [...]