Fluendo MP3 GStreamer Plugin in Main for Dapper?

[Jeff Waugh]

<quote who="Stephan Hermann">

> > > In that case, maybe the wording about free software comittment on
> > > www.ubuntulinux.org should be changed?
> >
> > Note that the code is MIT licensed.
> 
> Jeff, it's not about the source.

With regards to Free Software, it most certainly is. The plugin was released
under an MIT license due to the problematic intersection between section 7
of the GPL (11 of the LGPL), existing (L)GPL-licensed decoding libraries and
our desire to be able to provide this functionality to our users (and I say
"our" in a very broad sense).

> Means, in Germany or US I think it's not allowed to ship the source, but
> it's allowed to use the binary plugin of fluendos mp3 thing. But it's not
> allowed to use the binary plugin with rhythmbox, because it would violate
> the GPL.

You *are* allowed to ship the source, as it is covered by copyright and does
not in itself violate any patents. The contract would provide the ability to
ship a binary made from the source. That may be appropriate for distribution
in multiverse, separate distribution by a known third party, or distribution
of a plugin built for Ubuntu by Fluendo. Incompatibility with other licenses
does not make Free Software - source or binary - suddenly not Free Software!

Patents may be troublesome, perhaps some of us might regard them as evil,
but that doesn't mean we can't route around the damage cleverly.

> After all, the best thing is to consult a lawyer which special interests
> are patents and patent worldwide law. He should check the possibilities of
> having the source or the binary plugin shipped with Ubuntu.

Of course - though we all knew that.

- Jeff

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