[FFmpeg-devel] GPL version matter

[Uoti Urpala]

On Sun, 2007-07-01 at 10:48 -0600, Loren Merritt wrote:
> I interpret that as:
> Under (L)GPL2, people who don't believe in software patents can use ffmpeg 
> and ignore the patents, while people who have to cover their asses can 
> use ffmpeg and pay off MPEG-LA or whoever.
> If ffmpeg were (L)GPL3, people who don't believe in software patents could 
> use ffmpeg and ignore the patents, but people who pay off MPEG-LA would 
> be prohibited from distributing ffmpeg.

If they pay protection money for their own use the (L)GPL says nothing
about that. What can violate the (L)GPL is if they pay for their
_distribution_ of FFmpeg on behalf of the recipients, giving the
recipients a patent license but one which is "discriminatory" as defined
by the GPL.

An example of what the GPL 3 prohibits is some company starting to sell
"licensed FFmpeg versions" and promising safety to those who bought from
them, but threatening anyone who obtained FFmpeg from someone else with
lawsuits.