Re: very rough pre-gep tentative new modules list



I know this is probably a bit off topic, but what about a program that can convert an mp3 to another format like ogg? And another app for proprietary video? Could those be included in the Gnome dist.?

Or would the conversion program step on toes even if it doesn't interactively display the original file contents in its proprietary state?

If I write software that can do translation, like Wine, that could "interpret" an mp3, even though I have never seen the code used to produce the mp3, am I breaking the law in the US or EU?

I guess I am naive...I don't understand how something as broad as an idea can be protected...maybe an implementation, but an idea? Wouldn't a car engine be similar? They all run off the same idea, but they use a different implementation. It seems like Compaq would have done exactly the same thing I am talking about when they hired engineers to work at making a compatible IBM BIOS; was that legal?

The more I think about it the more it sucks.

Dan


From: Alan Cox <alan redhat com>
To: louie ximian com (Luis Villa)
CC: alan redhat com (Alan Cox),desktop-devel-list gnome org (GNOME Desktop List),gnome-hackers gnome org
Subject: Re: very rough pre-gep tentative new modules list
Date: Tue, 17 Sep 2002 10:53:13 -0400 (EDT)

> > Thats a different set of pieces (CSS). The US side of it means we probably
> > cannot ship mpeg video, mpeg audio, mp3 audio, windows audio, or ac56.
>
> I'll worry about those when there is a prosecution or legal claim made
> against any of them. I'm not yet aware of any.[3]

For MP3 it has been made completely clear that you must pay a royalty. That
is why many vendors have just pulled it, including Sun from its java
media pieces. The restrictions on MP3 players mean they violate the
Debian guidelines and cannot be "free software".

> and OS/X instead of win95 and OS9, we[2]'re going to need mp3, dvd, wma,
> etc. support. Which means either figuring out a debian-style tiered

They are non-free. Provision of such tools in a "GNU" project is
inappropriate. Ask Richard. Richard will also tell you that the FSF
advocates campaigning to change laws but not breaking them. GNOME should
ship only those media formats that are open. If someone outside of GNOME
wishes to provide other formats that is for them to decide.

I'm not arguing that mp3 and DVD tools are not useful, but it is
inappropriate for the GNOME project to supply them. The GNOME project
must have the guts to say "We cannot provide XYZ facility because it is
not free". Freedom is not hiding in the basement saying "They haven't come
for me yet".

Alan
_______________________________________________
desktop-devel-list mailing list
desktop-devel-list gnome org
http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/desktop-devel-list




_________________________________________________________________
Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com

_______________________________________________
gnome-hackers mailing list
gnome-hackers gnome org
http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/gnome-hackers



[Date Prev][Date Next]   [Thread Prev][Thread Next]   [Thread Index] [Date Index] [Author Index]