Brian Cameron wrote: > > James: > >> Kinda funny that essentially every common codec is "legacy"... makes >> me laugh a bit since they are still in use and are essential to >> end-user transparency. I really am a tad ticked off about the GPL >> even more now, a step backwards for all media projects on all >> non-commercial systems, just pathetic if you ask me. :-( >> >> Getting exceptions for every SINGLE gstreamer plugin, backend, >> frontend, program, library, what the heck is wrong with the world... >> sheesh. > > GStreamer and its plugins are LGPL, which has no legal issue with > non-free code. The problem is only with the actual end-user > application. If the end-user application is GPL, then it needs an > exception. Also there can be problems if an application (or GStreamer) > links in a GPL library. For example, we had to replace the GStreamer > CDDA plugin when we realized that we were using libcdio which is GPL. > > The GNOME community has already relicensed totem with such an exception > and is currently working to relicense the other popular programs > (gnome-media, rhythmbox, and sound-juicer). It's too early to tell if > they will be successful with relicensing, but I have high hopes that we > will soon have a media stack in Solaris that can use GStreamer with > non-free plugins. This might mean replacing rhythmbox with Songbird, > for example. > > But the situation with the GPL isn't quite as complicated as you suggest > since LGPL doesn't have any issue with non-free plugins. > > Brian > Thanks Brian. I know about the LGPL and linking, I wasn't aware that the frontend was the issue. But okay, just hope it all gets settled soon.
James
