[FFmpeg-devel] more FFMPEG license and legal issue Q&A?

[Luca Barbato]

boku wrote:
> Dear all,
>     I'm searching about ffmpeg license legal issue. I found there's a page
> of "License and Legal Issues" in the ffmpeg project web. Is there more info
> about this issue?
> My questions are as follows:
> 1. The framework of ffmpeg are protected in LGPL or GPL, aren't they?
LGPL or GPL depending on which components you are going to use, since
some are GPL only.
> 2. Problematic items are those avcodec which are in the libavcodec module,
> right?

Depending on your definition of problem, european people do not have
problems at all as long they follow our licenses (lgpl or gpl)

> 3. Any precedent of suits or legal arguments because of using ffmpeg?

I recall some discussions with manufacturer not obeying.

> 4. If only MPEG-4 and H.264 are included in our project, does it mean that
> only MPEG-LA might take some legal actions against us?

Depends on where are you, what you are doing with ffmpeg and how.

> 5. We don't sell s/w player or embedded h/w player based on ffmpeg project,
> we only sell a machine for users and they can use our packages to run some
> a/v playing. Is it kind of illegal?

For us, as long you redistribute the source of what you are using and
you tell you are using our product, I think no.

For patent trolls around the world much depends if you are in their
jurisdiction or not. I'd advise you to talk with your lawyer

Sorry if I confused your ideas even more ^^

-- 

Luca Barbato

Gentoo/linux Gentoo/PPC
http://dev.gentoo.org/~lu_zero