Fluendo MP3 GStreamer Plugin in Main for Dapper?

[John Nilsson]

On Sun, 2005-12-25 at 11:29 -0600, Travis Watkins wrote:
> On 12/25/05, Chris Jones <cmsj at tenshu.net> wrote:
> > Why? It uses gstreamer, so surely it would be able to take advantage of
> > Fluendo's gstreamer plugin? As would totem, banshee, et al.
> 
> Rhythmbox is GPL, gstreamer is LGPL, plugin is neither and not
> compatible. When rhythmbox runs gstreamer becomes GPL and it's now
> illegal to distribute the binary plugin with it. Totem and banshee
> have exceptions in their licensing for this, Rhythmbox doesn't.

I just felt like nitpicking. Isn't it more true that gstreamer doesn't
become GPL but rather that the fact that it _isn't_ GPL, and together
with the plugin not GPL-compatible. The action that is actually illegal
is distributing rhythmbox rather than the plug-in?

While seeming like a small point it's important because with this new
plug-in available some other projects besides banshee (like rhythmbox)
might consider adding exceptions to their licenses, or negotiate some
other terms.

This is against the Ubuntu philosophy either way. Free means GPL
compatible.

<quote>Ubuntu is entirely committed to the principles of free software
development</quote>

Regards,
John