[MPlayer-dev-eng] Need a guide to implement a codec library using hardware video codec

[Reimar Döffinger]

On Mon, Apr 21, 2008 at 12:26:23PM +0200, Nico Sabbi wrote:
> On Monday 21 April 2008 12:08:22 Lee Kwangwoo wrote:
> > The modified code of the mplayer will be released under the GPL.
> > But I have one question about codec library. If I write a library
> > for a hardware device which can be used to control the hardware
> > device commonly and which can also be used with mplayer, is it
> > released under the GPL license?
> 
> this is up to the author, but read below
> 
> > In my situation, I can not open the control code of the hardware
> > device. If I must release the hardware codec library under the GPL
> > license, I should rethink using mplayer code. Should I implement
> > whole things? well.. get permission from my boss???
> 
> the point is that if your library isn't gpl-compatible you can't
> distribute mplayer (that is gpl) with it

Well, if you dlopen your library, have a rather generic API for the
library (maybe even a gpl'd variant of the library that provides
the same features just e.g. via software emulation) and distribute
MPlayer and that non-GPL library separately there is a good chance
there is no problem (and there is no problem at all if you do not
distribute), but for definitive answers you will have to ask a lawyer,
sorry.

Greetings,
Reimar Döffinger