MakeMKV Packaging and Redistribution for Fedora

[ravas]

I wanted to package MakeMKV as an RPM and redistribute in a public repository, but I'm a bit lost as to who or where I should ask permission to do this.

On a side note, does anyone know if the automatic updates feature is part of the makemkv-bin or makemkv-oss payload? I assume it's in the oss payload, but I'm not sure. If so, is there a compiler flag to disable auto-updates? I know there's an option for it in the settings/configuration file, but it makes more sense to compile it without the option if possible.

[Woodstock]

The person is Mike, the author. You can reach him at support@makemkv.com.

The problem is "public repository" sounds like you're trying to turn a proprietary program into a public domain one... which MakeMKV is NOT. It is definitely not free, and would likely be rejected by most repositories.

[mr.fuzzypants]

Even if you can't disable auto-updates at compile time why couldn't/wouldn't you just configure your package's default settings in such a way to disable auto-updates that way?

[Woodstock]

You mean like the configuration item that's marked "Enable internet access"? Heaven forbid someone want to do THAT!

[ravas]

The person is Mike, the author. You can reach him at support@makemkv.com.

The problem is "public repository" sounds like you're trying to turn a proprietary program into a public domain one... which MakeMKV is NOT. It is definitely not free, and would likely be rejected by most repositories.

Thank you for the email. As for the public repository concern, I am not attempting to modify the program(other than disabling auto-updates so updates are managed by the package manager) or "adjust" the licensing, or even pirate it to work for free as if it were paid. I am attempting to publicly distribute the same package that is already being distributed for free on the download page to make it easier to download from a repository that I control.

[ravas]

Even if you can't disable auto-updates at compile time why couldn't/wouldn't you just configure your package's default settings in such a way to disable auto-updates that way?

I could, but that would be a last resort in case it's not possible to compile a version without auto-updates. Reason being that it's more proper and secure to manage updates through the package manager rather than the app itself, and that's almost always achieved by disabling auto-updates at compile time or by patching auto-updates out of the source code entirely.

[ravas]

You mean like the configuration item that's marked "Enable internet access"? Heaven forbid someone want to do THAT!

I'm not really sure what you're getting at here. Generally softwares that are hosted in repositories are compiled without auto-updates so that updates can be managed by a package manager rather than the app itself, that's just how it is on Unix-like systems for a mirage of reasons.

[dcoke22]

I don't have any experience with MakeMKV on linux, but on macOS, MakeMKV does not autoupdate. When there's a new version, I'll see a message in the log telling me so, but the software doesn't update on its own.

[Woodstock]

You obviously only deal with non-commercial software. MakeMKV isn't "open source". I know that seems like an alien concept to young people, because "everything is open source!", but it happens in the real world.

MakeMKV does not automatically update. I'm running a two-year old version on one (internet connected) machine, and it merely suggests I update when I start the process; it continues on just fine. The only FORCED updates are for non-registered versions, but that's mainly for forcing you to get a new key. You can still run an older version to a point with a new key, but that's because the beta key has limitations.

[ravas]

You obviously only deal with non-commercial software. MakeMKV isn't "open source". I know that seems like an alien concept to young people, because "everything is open source!", but it happens in the real world.

What? I know it's not open source(at least makemkv-bin, makemkv-oss is oss as it's distributed with an oss license), and that's okay... That's why I'm trying to ask permission to redistribute, if it was open source I wouldn't necessarily have to ask permission at all depending on the license. I'm talking about asking permission to redistribute a proprietary binary and source code in the case of makemkv-oss. Distributing a prepackaged binary is no different than what happens on the Google Play Store or Apple's App Store or Ubuntu's repositories or RPMFusion or hell even on the Microsoft store. I could give countless examples of public repositories that redistribute proprietary and paid software, how is what I'm attempting any different?

As for the auto-update "suggestions" you're describing that's exactly what I'm trying to compile without. Generally software installation and updates on Unix systems is managed by a package manager. Just like Firefox is compiled without auto-updates so that updates can be managed by a package manager like Dnf or Apt, that's how most software is supposed to be managed with few exceptions, it's part of the Unix philosophy.

It's one thing to not like how things are done or how I'm attempting to do things and that's fine. But ultimately I see no problem with redistributing a binary with permission from the developers/company. If you take issue with that then I ask that you please explain without the aggressive/demeaning tone and we can have a conversation about it. Otherwise I have no reason to entertain this behavior.

[ravas]

I don't have any experience with MakeMKV on linux, but on macOS, MakeMKV does not autoupdate. When there's a new version, I'll see a message in the log telling me so, but the software doesn't update on its own.

On the Linux version there's an option in the settings to disable auto-updates, which is what I'd like to exclude at compile time if possible.