[MPlayer-dev-eng] helix codecs

[Rich Felker]

On Mon, May 08, 2006 at 12:39:57PM +0200, Enrico Weigelt wrote:
> * Dominik 'Rathann' Mierzejewski <dominik at rangers.eu.org> schrieb:
> 
> <snip>
> > 
> > Wouldn't linking against non-GPL/LGPL .so's violate MPlayer's license (GPL)?
> 
> hmm, I don't think so. The (L)GPL defines limits where the code may 
> be used, ie. what license some code must have when it wants to use
> (-> import) certain code under (L)GPL, but I don't think it doesn't
> say anything about what kind of code an (L)GPL project may use.

The problem is that if you link in non-free code, the resulting
program is no longer distributable in its entirety under the GPL and
thus is no longer distributable at all.

You can make exceptions for code you hold copyright to, but MPlayer
has many copyright holders and imported GPL code from other projects,
so sidestepping this is not an option.

> I didn't check it against the license text yet, but IMHO I dont think so.
> 
> The question is: does the helix license allow the codecs to be 
> included in (L)GPL'ed applications ?

Only if it allows redistribution under the terms of the GPL, which I
highly doubt. LGPL is irrelevant since the license in question is GPL
only.

Rich