What happened?

[Smoggy]

Re: What happened?

Well, my views on this are that software makers like MS charge way too much fro the staples like WIdows and Office, thsu inviting piracy.

If I could pick up a legal copy of Windows for, say $30 and office for maybe $50 at the most, and if I could then install them on a couple of computers in my house, I'm sure nobody would get pirate copies.

But here in Canada you have to pay nearly $500 for Windows XP Pro, $400 for the home edition. Office is like $1000. The only time you get it cheaper is OEM, maybe for half the full price. Still, $200 or more is an invitation to get a pirate copy, no doubt about it.

I agree, way too much money for that quality of software

[neilthecellist]

Re: What happened?

Yeah, so many bugs....Just look at how many Windows Updates I have!

(will post screenie later)

http://kytec.com/view.php?fid=15075

http://kytec.com/uploads/files/15076.jpg

[LtData]

Re: What happened?

That's why you get SP2 and uncheck "show updates". :D

[muffenme]

Re: What happened?

I a little confused because if it because mp3 lame is block then what are these free site

http://lame.sourceforge.net/

http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Lame_Encoder.htm

http://www.rarewares.org/mp3.html

http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/955435184/1

And going by http://www.metafilter.com/mefi/38418 it says that lame is open source.

[ChristinaS]

Re: What happened?

The mp3 format is protected by patent now.

The codec may be free, but any program that uses it to convert to mp3 has to pay patent dues to Thompson.

Spoon has to comply with the requirements or risk being sued. If those other sites aren't concerned, maybe they should.

[LtData]

Re: What happened?

LAME's website does not distribute binary versions of their encoder, just the source code. That's how they get around it for their website. But yes, programs using any sort of mp3 encoding have to pay a licensing fee. The patented part is various parts of the encoding itself that are crucial to encoding.