Recommended Method to Watch Amazon Prime using Ubuntu 14.04 LTS
- by Kurt Sanger
I realize that Hal is no longer in the Ubuntu Software Center for Ubuntu 14.04 and it is only available from a third party at this time. But I would like to know what Ubuntu's plans are for integrating DRM into Linux? Especially with Amazon's integration into the search tool, one would hope that they would make it easier for their Amazon Prime customers to watch Instant Videos.
Is the repository for getting Hal for 13.10 safe for use? What will that break if I install it onto 14.04? Or do we need to find another OS that has DRM built into it?
If Hal is okay to add to the OS using a third party repo, then why doesn't Ubuntu Software Center support it too? I imagine that Amazon's contract with the video copyright holders requires that they have some protection on electronically distributed media. I also imagine that getting Amazon to change is much harder than getting a bunch of software engineers to fix Ubuntu. Unless they don't want too. At which point Ubuntu isn't really a complete OS. Very disappointing. In general the ease of use of Ubuntu, the software center, and the large variety of applications was alluring. But breaking DRM wasn't a great idea. Can't wait to see what fails in our next update.
Please tell us that there is a plan that is going to work in our future.