[wellylug] Debian - Multimedia - Dependency Hell

[Rimu Atkinson]

ubuntu has non-free repos and is based on debian

Carl Turney wrote:
> Hi List,
>
> Going to set up a clean new Debian Etch system, for home use.
>
> In addition to the bog-standard OpenOffice, FireFox (IceWeasel?),
> ThunderBird (IceDove?), I want to be able to...
> - capture, rip, save, convert, basic-edit, play, and burn
> - audio, video (NTSC, PAL, maybe SECAM) and still pictures
> - to and from CDs, VCDs, and DVDs ... and maybe some day - these MP3
> players kids have around their necks.
>
> (Don't have a video capture card and/or TV tuner card, yet.  But have a
> big load of favourite VCR tapes I want to convert and edit, in my spare
> time in the future.)
>
> Also (if OpenOffice still hasn't resolved the "vertical line spacing
> compatibility problem" with MSWord) I will probably have to run my old
> Word 2000 on top of CrossOver.
>
> Also, be able to install all the darn plug-ins that FireFox/IceWeasel
> needs for FTP, Flash, RealTime, etc. such bells&whistles.
>
> The issue...  How to avoid/prevent "dependency hell" as thoroughly as
> possible, at the same time obtaining a full range of multimedia
> functionality (e.g. codecs)?
>
> Sounds like Debian does the best job of preventing "dependency hell",
> within its own repos, where I intend to =always= stay if at all possible. 
> But I can't find any official Debian-tested "non-free" repo.  I'm assuming
> that many codecs, and some of the more gnarly multimedia apps, will
> violate Debian's rules of freedom.  "Non-free" is mentioned a lot, but =I=
> can't find it within Debian.  To go beyond the official site feels like
> "there be dragons".
>
> Your suggestions, please.
>
> Thanks, Carl Turney
> Mobile 027 6913 080 (after hours please)
>
>
>
>   

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