[cw-discuss] iTunes

[Manaen Schlabach]

<snip>
> You seem to imply that iTunes would be a simple tweak-and-recompile
> away from being usable under Linux.

I think most of us on this list know that it is not a simple tweak and
recompile...that's why I winked earlier...However it is most assuredly
*not* impossible either.  I think the Codeweavers/CX team has gone out
of their way to support any windows developers who want their help via
the compatibility center.

>Mac OS X may have a BSD layer but
> iTunes and all other GUI apps in Mac OS X are _not_ running under that
> layer.

Indeed I would guess they are using some variant of X with just enough
of the code dressed up so that it looks like a proprietary solution
but I could be wrong about that and I wouldn't want to minimize
anyone's efforts....

> away" is insignificant, especially when you take into account that
> most Linux users are likely to not being interested by iTunes at all,
> since it's 1) not free software and 2) a DRM tool.

I personally am very interested in seeing iTunes "work" since it means
that more Windows users will have an easier time migrating to
GNU/Linux.  The 95% market share for Windows that you quoted seems a
bit too high though.  May I ask where you got the number?

> own words) that Apple won't port iTunes for Linux. Apple sees Linux as
> a direct competitor to their platform. They have absolutely no reason
> to support it. I don't see how they would be even remotely interested
> in doing a Linux port of _any_ of their applications, even if it were
> a simple job.

Interestingly enough though they are very happy to take the hard work
put in by millions of volunteers within the free software community
repackage it and sell it for a pretty penny :/   Which is good for the
bottom line but might not be the best way to say thanks to the free
software community.  There are ways to make a profit and still
maintain a good relationship with the free software community.
Codeweavers seems to be a shining example of this.  The reselling of
code is allowed under both the BSD License and the GPL (with a few
conditions) since it is "free" and as you mentioned we within the Free
Software/GNU/Linux community do very much value our freedom.

Best Regards,
Manaen