[MPlayer-dev-eng] 64-bit issue in ad_faad.c

[Reimar Döffinger]

Hello,
On Mon, Apr 30, 2007 at 08:07:06PM +0200, Nicolas George wrote:
[...]
> Well, we can see for ourselves. Here is the licence of all of the C files in
> the libfaad subdirectory

[...]
> ** Software using this code must display the following message visibly in or
> ** on each copy of the software:
> ** "FAAD2 AAC/HE-AAC/HE-AACv2/DRM decoder (c) Nero AG, www.nero.com"
> ** in, for example, the about-box or help/startup screen.

Do not forget the fact that the COPYING file does not contain the part, which
raises the (legally) interesting question in how many places one would
be required to search for license terms, and if you would have to
compare them all word for word or may assume them to be the same...

[...]
> Well, it seems clear enough to me: this is a stupidware license: it is
> logically incoherent (if it is under GPL, software using this code is in no
> obligation to display the message), and therefore no one is allowed to do
> anything with this code.

Well, nobody except them can redistribute it is more precise, but yes
in my (not-lawyer) opinion that's the effect having a GPL-incompatible clause
together with the GPL in your license has.
(and to anyone saying "they can't sue given all they have said": I think
that additional clause is enough so that they can stop redistribution
anytime and that's bad enough for me).

Greetings,
Reimar Döffinger