[MPlayer-dev-eng] Re: help on libmpdemux usage

[The Wanderer]

Chris Zubrzycki wrote:

> Anyway, i see it as a 2-way door. mplayer uses quicktime on os x, and
> i do not see why the flames given were required. And yes, i have
> RTFF.

As far as I understand it (without having reat the relevant FAQ, or the
GPL itself in years, or anything relevant recently except this
discussion), in not-rigidly-precise terms:

If a program whose source code is released under the GPL makes use of a
program whose source code is not released under the GPL, this does not
violate the GPL.

However, if a program whose source code is *not* released under the GPL
makes use of a program whose source code *is* released under the GPL,
this *does* violate the GPL.

(The relevant part of) MPlayer's source code is GPLed. QuickTime's
source code is not. Unless I'm missing something (which I'll admit is
likely), these two undisputed facts are all that is relevant.

This discussion long since belongs on -legal, but I'm not 100% sure that
list exists at present, nor (assuming it does) that I'm subscribed to
it, so I'm leaving this here.

-- 
       The Wanderer

A government exists to serve its citizens, not to control them.