[MPlayer-dev-eng] MPlayer licensing [and lotso other stuff as I'm typingSat Nov 24 15:40:50 2001

[marpet at linuxpl.org]

On Sat, 24 Nov 2001 15:42:16 +0200 (CEST)
Arpi <arpi at thot.banki.hu> wrote:


> > That is also why LGPL was 'invented' - to allow other licence based
> > projects use LGPL _librarys_. But APAIK you DON'T use any LGPL
> > librarys...
> 
> afaik lib* stuff is LGPL, or at least we can ask permission to get it LGPL
> easier than BSD.

that's for sure...

> > GPL is not perfect, but at least it is efficient (look at amount of GPL
> > licenced code...)
> 
> GPL sux :)
> HPL should protect us from code stealing (it doesn't really do)  and
  ^^^
  GPL?
> shouldn't limit us in using non-gpl sources.

it does. Like any law protects you from unlawful behaviour. That doesn't
stop thieves from stealing, off course, but it defines which acts are
OK and which are bad, that is the framework for enforcing your rights.

No licence or law can phisically stop thieves, but it says what you
can, and what you can't do. That is something that user has to accept,
if they don't, they shouldn't use the product (is goes for you too - if
you hate GPL stop using the GPL code in your software - it's not a rant,
it is an advice).

Put those guys who stole your code to court and the law is ON YOUR SIDE.

But it is a sword that cuts both ways: you are protected by law as long
as you don't do anything against it...

regards

PS

BSD will not stop thieves from taking your code. Quite the opposite -
anyone will be able to use your code in their commercial product. Do
that and MS will gladly use Mplayer in WindowsMediaPlayer whatever (like
they did with TCP/IP stuff in their networking code). It will be a gift
for many companies who don't have as good product as you do (and IMVHO
noone has :-). As long as it is GPL noone touches it unless they are
GPL-friendly - they are affraid, that merely touching it will infect
their code and force them to release the sources ;-) That is the
strength of GPL - the same thing it is loved by some and hated by others
;-)))

Again - licences cut both ways :-)

-- 
Marek Pętlicki <marpet at linuxpl.org>
Linux User ID=162988