Software Centre adds first ‘paid’ app – Fluendo DVD Player

By , Published September 4, 2010

The first application to be purchasable in the Ubuntu 10.10 Software Centre has arrived – and as we speculated a few months back it’s Fluendo’s DVD playback application. The tool had been for sale in the Canonical store previously.

Clicking on the ‘buy’ button opens up a window for the Ubuntu Single Sign-on service where you can proceed with your payment.

Related posts:

  1. Paid Apps section in Software Centre gets an icon
  2. Just what Will be for sale in the Ubuntu software centre Come October?
  3. Ubuntu Software Centre Gets Brand New Look for Lucid; Paid software to feature soon?
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  • http://twitter.com/umren umren

    choice is always matters

  • http://www.google.com/profiles/dsnettleton dsnettleton

    Is this still something that should be paid for, now that jailbreaking is legal in the US (and always has been in the UK)?

    • http://dieki.myopenid.com/ Dieki

      Unfortunately, libdvdcss isn’t covered by the recent jailbreaking exception. :(
      Of course you can still install it, but at your own risk.

      • Wrinkliez

        uh. what do you mean unfortunately?

        • https://launchpad.net/~davidnielsen David Nielsen

          The recent win the EFF had with regards to jailbreaking phones could have applied to libdvdcss as well meaning it would be lawful to use it to break the encryption in spite of the DMCA.

          Sadly this is not covered. If it was, distributions could have legally shipped libdvdcss. We still wouldn’t have the patented codecs needed but you could e.g. still legally rip DVDs to iso files out of the box. One step at the time..

        • https://launchpad.net/~davidnielsen David Nielsen

          The recent win the EFF had with regards to jailbreaking phones could have applied to libdvdcss as well meaning it would be lawful to use it to break the encryption in spite of the DMCA.

          Sadly this is not covered. If it was, distributions could have legally shipped libdvdcss. We still wouldn’t have the patented codecs needed but you could e.g. still legally rip DVDs to iso files out of the box. One step at the time..

  • http://twitter.com/the_madman Marcus Harrison

    Am I safe in asuming that when you’ve bought it, it downloads to the computer automatically?

    • http://dieki.myopenid.com/ Dieki

      Yeah, just like normal.

  • http://twitter.com/ThomasBerends Thomas Berends

    Huh? When I tried the beta I saw another paid app… it had the Gimp icon, but was something different..

    • K900

      It was a placeholder :p

    • http://dieki.myopenid.com/ Dieki

      That was “Hello X Adventure”, a dummy app. It wasn’t real.

      • Kljaver

        I have just updated Maverick, but there isn’t any Fluendo DVD Player. Only «Hello X Adventure» there is. :)

      • http://twitter.com/ThomasBerends Thomas Berends

        Ok, didn’t knew it was a dummy…

    • http://sythe.me Xavier Sythe

      It was an example application.

  • http://twitter.com/ushabtay Uri Shabtay

    one thing i don’t get: when i reinstall the system (newer version, or just cleaning up), will i have to pay for the software all over again?

    • http://dieki.myopenid.com/ Dieki

      Nope! It’s tied to your Ubuntu Single Sign On account, and you can install your purchased apps on any computer you own by clicking File->Reinstall previous purchases.

      • http://twitter.com/ushabtay Uri Shabtay

        nice! thanks

      • https://launchpad.net/~davidnielsen David Nielsen

        That sounds good, I hope I can transfer my existing Fluendo packages to this scheme so I will be sure to have the latest version at all times.

      • http://twitter.com/pererik87 Per Erik

        Special treatment for paid apps.

  • Kljaver

    Waiting Nero Linux. :)

    • http://twitter.com/fverdeja93 Francisco Verdeja

      best is K3B

      • Kljaver

        Maybe. But i use Gnome and don’t want a half of KDE packages to be installed. :)

        • http://twitter.com/Heimpjuh Heimen Stoffels

          Well, actually, K3b doesn’t have much KDE-dependencies. So you won’t get half of KDE with it.

      • http://twitter.com/explodingwalrus Carl Draper

        Apart from K3B (or Brasero) cannot do CD Extra CDs without failing atm

      • daas88

        The best freaking burning tool around :)

  • waspinator

    $25 for a dvd player? That’s kind steep, considering you can get a stand alone physical one for that price.

  • Alaukik

    can someone explain what is the libdvdcss legal thingy?
    does it apply in india?

    • Animeshmeher

      It doesnt apply to india , we dont have any patent issues in india, infact india does not recognise software patents,

      in contires like USA and Japan , its illegal to use libdvdcss. The dvd encription is patented and cannot be decoded.

      • Anonymous

        I think libdvdcss should be installed depending on the country the user has chosen on the install. That way, the distributions can still distribute it, but only to those who are in a country that isn’t messed up. Any fiddling of locations by users just shifts the legal responsibility onto the user, not the distributors.Any idea if libdvdcss is “illegal” to distribute in the UK?

        • doctormo@gmail.com

          Sure is, thanks to the EUCD, European law that makes worse the DMCA.

          • Anonymous

            Gah, Europe should know better than this.

          • hellpe

            I’m not sure it’s related to European law. libdvdcss is perfectily legal to distribute in France.

          • http://twitter.com/Heimpjuh Heimen Stoffels

            Indeed, same for The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg and AFAIK also Gernany.

            European law isn’t related, they only have plans for software patents. But they haven’t allowed them yet.

          • zekopeko

            AFAIK that isn’t exactly true. There are software patents in EU but they are very, very limited when compared to USA.

          • mpt

            As mase said, this isn’t about patents. It’s about the legality of copy protection circumvention.

      • mase

        This is NOT about patents. It’s the DMCA and different. That may / may not apply in your country.

    • randomness

      libdvdcss is needed on Linux because the DVD from the store, is encrypted for copy protection. You need a “licensed” device to play it.

      Wikipedia says: “libdvdcss (or libdvdcss2 in some repositories) is a free software library for accessing and unscrambling DVDs encrypted with the Content Scramble System (CSS).”

      Since its decrypting the disc its in the legal grey area. Wikipedia:

      “Many GNU/Linux distributions do not contain libdvdcss (for example Debian, Fedora, SUSE Linux, and Ubuntu) due to fears of running afoul of DMCA-style laws”

  • Kljaver

    I have just updated Maverick, but there isn’t any Fluendo DVD Player. Only «Hello X Adventure» there is. :)

  • Kljaver

    I don’t see any «Fluendo DVD Player». Why? System is up to date.

  • David Raid

    If Fluendo allowed for pain-free blu-ray playback, like PowerDVD does on Windows, I’d buy it in an instant.

    • https://launchpad.net/~davidnielsen David Nielsen

      I would be very surprised if this isn’t being worked on at the Fluendo offices. They are generally very good at brokering deals to let them bring this kind of functionality to Linux users. Also they have their Moovida media center product which would benefit from this long term.

      I think we are in for a future announcement on Blu-ray.

    • https://launchpad.net/~davidnielsen David Nielsen

      I would be very surprised if this isn’t being worked on at the Fluendo offices. They are generally very good at brokering deals to let them bring this kind of functionality to Linux users. Also they have their Moovida media center product which would benefit from this long term.

      I think we are in for a future announcement on Blu-ray.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_ICMPZOXLM4DS5KBTDTDRKK34ZI Martin

    Does Fluendo have anything that worth 25 dollars?

    • https://launchpad.net/~davidnielsen David Nielsen

      As a user on a low-end machine, I have to admit that their codec package with the seamless VDPAU integration is worth every penny. I love every aspect of it, except their support (trac for bugs, email for support which is rarely followed up upon correctly, I’ve suffered many poor tools in my time but trac still gives me nightmares)

      Their DVD player is great but I do wish it would play iso images as I have been backing up all my DVDs in .iso files on my NAS.

      I am pleased there is a legal alternative for the people that need it and while I am not bound by software patents I do use it simply because it is easy and doesn’t require me to install vlc or anything unpleasing like that.

      • Alaukik

        WTF!
        how is vlc unpleasing you moron?

        • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/7GXJ4CL5A6A5YPPUO47UQXGP5Y Johan

          Hey, be nice.

          • Alaukik

            If you don’t like vlc its fine but calling it unpleasing is stupidity
            i mean if you were to buy software for which a free alternative is as powerful you better stick to windows you will get more stupid software to but you can even buy some calculator for it having same functions of a the ms calculator!

        • Simon

          from what i gather VLC breaks some conventions in free software circles. It has its own codecs built in, where it should in theory share the system codecs to reduce copied code.

          Its a nice program, one of my favorites in fact, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not made in the unix style.

          One of my friends once called it the worst of free software but yet the best of free software.

          • Alaukik

            fluendo is not even a free app!
            IF you have no patent or legal issues over libdvdcss there is ABSOLUTELY no reason to buy fluendo dvd player.

          • mike

            Hey, dude. Keep your attitude in check. There’s absolutely no reason to get nasty with people and call them a “moron.”

          • objecm

            I think it has its own codecs because its target audience wouldn’t have installed them already…
            but talking of style, I wish it was GTK

  • Anonymous

    In the future, will the applications’ price appear in the local currency of the user?

  • http://cldx.blogspot.com/ Joern Konopka

    25 Bucks for a DVD Player Software is just ridiculous. I paid the same amount for my DVD Player and it’s been working just fine for almost 4 years. I know it’s not Canonical’s Fault and it’s nice to see something happening in the Purchase Section, but Fluendo is certainly not for me.
    Being quite an honest Guy i already pay enough for my DVD’s and i prefer investing my money into some good movies, not some Software with a questionable price-tag. Haven’t you learned anything from the AppStore Fluendo?

  • Julio Neto

    Yeah!! :D

  • Will

    We desperately need the world of goo up on there!

    • https://launchpad.net/~davidnielsen David Nielsen

      Didn’t everyone and their dog buy that as part of the Humble Indie Bundle. Though I agree it would make a great outlet for indie developers in general.

      Now the game we need in there is Achron (http://www.achrongame.com/site/).

      • Ethana2

        I bought World of Goo, Machinarium, and several others, but I want to *transfer* my purchase into the ubuntu software center so I get updates and can install automatically from any ubuntu instance where I’m signed into Ubuntu One.

        Most of the games I buy I haven’t played ’cause they don’t have .deb files yet.

  • Simon

    pthh i thought if i submitted this id get a shout shout out. Cheers guys

    Simon

  • Anonymous

    I can tell you right now the paid apps will flop if they’re all going to be as expensive as this.

    • Anonymous

      What percentage of money goes to Canonical?

    • https://launchpad.net/~davidnielsen David Nielsen

      I think the prices will drop eventually. Remember until now vendors haven’t had a common store front for Linux software. There has been very little competition, very little in terms of expositor. When their sales numbers increase the prices in general are likely to drop a bit.

      Prices are also going to be higher than for Windows, smaller market but development costs remain the same, there is little to do about that except growing the market size. Eventually this will change and Ubuntu is doing a good job attacking this problem.

      The majority for the price for the DVD player e.g. is likely licensing cost for the patents. Likewise existing ports include things like MatLab which is an expensive program regardless of the platform.

      That being said, 25$ for a functional and supported DVD player seems quite okay as a starting point for me. It fills a niche and it fills it nicely. Considering the thousands of dollars I save on OS licenses and hardware upgrades for new versions of the same, I think I can spare 25 bucks to fill a functionality gap created by lawyers.

    • https://launchpad.net/~davidnielsen David Nielsen

      I think the prices will drop eventually. Remember until now vendors haven’t had a common store front for Linux software. There has been very little competition, very little in terms of expositor. When their sales numbers increase the prices in general are likely to drop a bit.

      Prices are also going to be higher than for Windows, smaller market but development costs remain the same, there is little to do about that except growing the market size. Eventually this will change and Ubuntu is doing a good job attacking this problem.

      The majority for the price for the DVD player e.g. is likely licensing cost for the patents. Likewise existing ports include things like MatLab which is an expensive program regardless of the platform.

      That being said, 25$ for a functional and supported DVD player seems quite okay as a starting point for me. It fills a niche and it fills it nicely. Considering the thousands of dollars I save on OS licenses and hardware upgrades for new versions of the same, I think I can spare 25 bucks to fill a functionality gap created by lawyers.

  • Anonymous

    I really wonder whats the next app to come in

    • https://launchpad.net/~davidnielsen David Nielsen

      The obvious choice would be the Fluendo codec pack, it is already in the existing Canonical store and it fills an important functionality gap.

    • https://launchpad.net/~davidnielsen David Nielsen

      The obvious choice would be the Fluendo codec pack, it is already in the existing Canonical store and it fills an important functionality gap.

  • Mohan

    Awesome! I do hope they would add games to the list as well like World of Goo, the Penny Arcade game, Heroes of Newerth to name a few. :)

  • Mohan

    Awesome! I do hope they would add games to the list as well like World of Goo, the Penny Arcade game, Heroes of Newerth to name a few. :)

  • http://twitter.com/pererik87 Per Erik

    That was a boring first app. Where is the games…

  • Kokkdhd

    This is REALLY bad news !!!

  • http://alexandos.org Alexander

    If anyone DOES feel they need a 25$ Totem, could you please let us know more about the payment process? I’m working on the Software Center section of the Ubuntu Manual, but well… Totem is good enough for me. ;D

  • Anonymous

    This is for those who live in countries where installing DVD encryption circumvention isn’t legal. It’s going to pay the people who own the technology, mostly.

    Of course, in the EU at least, I know that this is legal as they’ve said anything that is, ‘trivially easy to circumvent is legal to circumvent’. Not sure about the U.S.

  • http://twitter.com/isthatagherkin isthatagherkin

    This thing better give me a fluendo for that much money!

  • http://twitter.com/MatthiasMertens Mertens Matthias

    Maybe new professionals apps will arrive on Linux with that. Not a bad thing.

  • Deanobear63

    The Fluendo DVD player and codecs are great – and they are not expensive – when a similar Windows DVD player is nearly 4 times as much – for those using Ubuntu, we’re all using a free open source operating system – Fluendo create products for open source – it’s nice to give a little bit back to those who support it. I also have Nero 4 – a great alternative to Brasero – haven’t had one bad disk yet. And again, the price of Nero for linux is a quarter of the Windows equivalent.

  • http://www.darkredman.fr DarkRedman

    I use Brasero, and 25$ it’s so much expensive I think.

  • http://twitter.com/custard_py Rafael Aminov

    Too expensive, IMHO, but I like the very idea.

  • guest

    Ubuntu is becoming evil. They start selling proprietary software

    • Gsedej

      In which way can payed software harm you or anyone? There is still opensource alternative. Cannonical won’t start selling Ubuntu for money.
      And btw, are everyone who sells things evil? :)

  • Mike

    Or just use the command line to burn what you need :D

  • http://www.easydvdburning.com/ DVD Burning

    It would be great if it works in other platform.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_XU5VEUFVMCQ2ZS3ZKVNJPFKHFQ Zack Penion

    If i am nicked and dimes to death to get decent Ubuntu functionality i will go buy a window OS and wipe this off my puter. I already have enough issues of having to seek on line assistant on non standard stuff.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_XU5VEUFVMCQ2ZS3ZKVNJPFKHFQ Zack Penion

    Why would an IT in a school recommend ubuntu when you have to pay more than a copy of window OS to get it to work like window and still have issues? As a college professor I can get a copy of windows for my puter for the cost of a CD. Now, I will have to pay $24 to get my dvd stuff to work with ubuntu. I can see the h.264 codec for $35 next. Where does it stop. I can see additional fonts cost, cost and more cost.

  • Anonymous

    Can the Ubuntu users donate until Ubuntu can legally play DVDs?

 
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