[MPlayer-users] A question about patented codecs

[Jing Min Zhao]

JD,

Yes, I agree with you that it must be safe if I just sit there and tell 
people to do every step, but it's not a good service it should be. If a 
people come ask you for help to install such a system, most likely he sees 
this box as a DVD player, not a computer. What I mean is, he won't bother to 
do the mysterious steps. I am supposed to do that.

If nobody did the similar thing, like you said, it seems the best way is to 
ask a lawyer.

Thanks a lot again,

Jing Min Zhao

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "JD" <jd1008 at gmail.com>
To: "MPlayer usage questions, feature requests,bug reports" 
<mplayer-users at mplayerhq.hu>
Sent: Tuesday, March 04, 2008 8:13 PM
Subject: Re: [MPlayer-users] A question about patented codecs


> If all you are doing is providing the URL's to the
> codecs, and not putting them on a CD or an RPM and
> distributing them, then there is no problem.
> If your service consists of merely a bunch of steps
> to take BY THE CUSTOERM in order to install the
> necessary software and codecs, then you are not doing
> anything illegal.
>
> Cheers,
>
> JD
>
> Jing Min Zhao wrote:
>> JD,
>>
>> Thank you for your answer!
>>
>> I know xine is not bundling patented codecs, but I'm not selling any
>> hardware or software containing the codec, I'm just providing service to
>> help people download available software and install on their machines. I
>> think this service thing should be different from that software thing, 
>> isn't
>> it?
>>
>> Jing Min Zhao
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "JD" <jd1008 at gmail.com>
>> To: "MPlayer usage questions, feature requests,bug reports"
>> <mplayer-users at mplayerhq.hu>
>> Sent: Tuesday, March 04, 2008 5:57 PM
>> Subject: Re: [MPlayer-users] A question about patented codecs
>>
>>
>>
>>> Yes it does break the patent law.
>>>
>>> In fact, even xine will not bundle patented codecs
>>> with xine-libs.
>>>
>>> Your best bet is to spend some money and ask a lawyer to
>>> look into it for you.
>>>
>>>
>>> Jing Min Zhao wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hi,
>>>>
>>>> I successfuly installed this gorgeous software on my Linux box and made
>>>> it an almighty DVD player for my beautiful LCD TV. My friend envies it 
>>>> so
>>>> I helped him to setup a same thing. Then an idea came up to my head 
>>>> maybe
>>>> I can help others too for some service fee. I think this is good since
>>>> both I and other people will be happy, but I'm hesitating on the 
>>>> patented
>>>> codecs.
>>>>
>>>> I want to install the binary codec packages, especially the RealVideo
>>>> codec because the rmvb files are essential. Could anybody please tell 
>>>> me
>>>> whether my service of installing such a codec to people's computers 
>>>> break
>>>> any law?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Thanks a lot in advance,
>>>>
>>>> Jing Min Zhao
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> MPlayer-users mailing list
>>>> MPlayer-users at mplayerhq.hu
>>>> https://lists.mplayerhq.hu/mailman/listinfo/mplayer-users
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>
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