This is something that needs to be seriously addressed.
I don't want to be a criminal, but I am, and have been for a while.
I bought my first computer four and a half years ago, a year later someone introduced me to Linux.
Man, what a lot of WORK! I'm just a user (Linux+user=Luser?). I installed Debian 'Woody', and wiped out Win95; and haven't gone back, except at work.
So, I got 'Woody' working (bastard, gave me something that wasn't much more than a kernel); then I went through two versions of Mandrake, two versions of Mandriva, spent almost a year with SimplyMepis; recently installed Xubuntu (I love it! My Pentium IV, rocks).
Immediately after installing Xubuntu, I loaded Automatix (I heard about it on CrankyGeeks) bitchin'!
I don't want to be a criminal. I'm poor but willing to work; and Linux has been
hard. I'll pay for the codecs, but I don't want to pay M$ type money (a new computer every 3 years!).
The Linux user distros, need to give us Lusers the opportunity to be honest; and either include the codecs we need; or direct us where to pay for them, 'When we install the OS!'.
I have never heard of
https://shop.fluendo.com/ before, I'll look for it the next time I install a new OS.
This is something that I have hated since I became a Linux user; feeling like I was participating in a
criminal society but, I've accepted it (unhappily).
When I installed Xubuntu I was excited 'feeling that Linux had arrived' it was so easy; but then, I went to Automatix and was disappointed when they didn't ask me for money (that is hard to say, but it's true).
Linux isn't hard anymore. Now, it's probably time to look not seeming so 'creepy'. Different is great, weird is fine; creepy - well, it's creepy.
I know there are a lot of really good people involved in Linux, and I believe it won't be long before the Microsoft users (Musers'?) are shy about
their OS.