Just to clarify, it is ethical to play mp3s using a free application, and to
watch h.264 encoded videos using a free codec? libav, gstreamer etc. Although
these things are patented in the US, it's unlikely ordinary users will be
sued for using free software that infringes on US software patents.
Additionally? is it permissible to use non-free software under duress?
For example, I have a course for college that requires an online componant
that ONLY works with silverlight. Moonlight doesn't contain some proprietary
DRM that means only silverlight will work. So i am faced with a choice to
either use non-free software and do the course or refuse on an ethical basis.
I know stallman and co. are free software absolutists, however, not
graduating because of refusing to use nonfree software is a tough pill for
most to swallow and i think a compromise would be appropriate here. however,
i plan to send emails to both the school and the company that makes the
product and request they re-encode their online course in WebM or Ogg Theora.
