Re: [tlug] Linux-compatible Mac laptop?

["Arwyn Hainsworth" <arwyn@example.com>]

On 05/04/07, Micheal Cooper <mcooper@example.com> wrote:

On 2007/04/04, at 21:57, Josh Glover wrote:

> On 04/04/07, Micheal Cooper <mcooper@example.com> wrote:
>
>> I second that opinion. Linux is great for lots of stuff, but video,
>> while certainly possible on Linux, is easier on the Mac with the
>> built-in apps.
>
> If you mean editing video, I believe you. If you mean watching video,
>
> Linux has wonderful support for video playback.
>

I was thinking about editing video, but even with playing back video,
my Fedora Core 6 used to (don't use it anymore) frequently choke on
certain video files and require the kill -9. Also wmv and asf are out
of the question on nix, while Flip4Mac allows you to watch them with
Quicktime, so that alone means it is easier to watch video on Mac if
you want to be able to see any video format.

Excepting the closed formats, I agree that it is equally easy to
watch video on Linux, but you are shut out (by MS design) from
certain videos.

Eh? I can play wmv/asf on this Ubuntu box. In fact the only files I have not been able to play have been DRMed files, which I doubt would work on a mac either.

I'd say each platform has it's problems as far as media playback is concerned. On the mac, you have to pay extra to get everything working. On windows you need about 3 different players to play everything (quicktime, real and decent player for everything else) and you have to download loads of codecs. And on linux (Ubuntu) you have to add an extra repository and download the needed codecs. Or you could use VideoLan, which works the same on all platforms.

Arwyn