[MPlayer-dev-eng] Relicensing MPlayer or parts of it to LGPL

[Alexander Strasser]

Hi wm4!

On 2015-12-28 19:59 -0500, compn wrote:
> On Sun, 27 Dec 2015 15:47:48 +0100
> wm4 <nfxjfg at googlemail.com> wrote:
> 
> > 
> > Would there be any welcoming or opposing to such a move from MPlayer
> > developers?
> 
> there were grumblings about it before. arpi wanted to relicense
> mplayer , failed when some author denied permission, then started the
> "mplayer g2" project. if i'm remembering correctly.
> 
> we've had a few years to reflect on the lgpl since 2002 (or
> whenever arpi wanted to relicense) , opinions on relicensing maybe
> improved.
> 
> vlc relicensed, it took them a long time but they did it. even when
> they had to rewrite code because of certain authors who they couldnt
> get permission or were unable to contact.

  I am fine with relicensing my relatively tiny patches/code
to LGPL. But I think as others (including Compn below) noted...

> it can be done ,it is monumental work.

  ...it will be really really hard to achieve. I am quite sure it will
be hard enough to only reach many of the authors (with authors I mean
all including authors of patches). And I cannot really help that.

  Thanks for reaching out here. Maybe you can achieve relicensing for
mpv and partially for MPlayer. I think both projects will benefit if
the possibility for patches to flow in both directions continues to
exist.
 
Good luck,
  Alexander