On 19/10/16 18:56, Andreas Cadhalpun wrote:
I think you are missing the main problem here: FFmpeg is licensed
under the LGPL 2.1, which states [1]:
" 4. You may copy and distribute the Library [...] in object code
or executable form [...] provided that you accompany it with the
complete corresponding machine-readable source code"
If during compilation the cuda.h header is used, it is part of the
complete source code and thus the license requires it to be
distributed together with the object code. However, you say that
Nvidia prohibits re-distribution of this header and as a result
the compiled ffmpeg binaries cannot legally be distributed.
This is why it requires --enable-nonfree.
Best regards,
Andreas
No. This is exactly what I meant with wearing tin foil hats. Just because a
compiler includes information provided by header files into the compilation
process does this not imply a transfer of ownership or copyright of this
information. The header files do not become a part of the source code. You may
find the ownership and copyright only no longer being easily distinguishable
once it becomes a binary. The seperation is however still present and there is
no magical transfer of ownership happening here. Even if there was, who is to
say ffmpeg isn't becoming part of the header files and thus is now being owned
by Nvidia?!? For this reason can such an interpretation of the GPL not make good
sense. It's just absurd.
How is this with compiling under Windows or just using Intel's or Microsoft's
compiler? Does this make ffmpeg non-free or does ffmpeg there claiming ownership
over Intel's or Microsoft's header files?
Anyhow, I don't rally want to get too deep into this topic as this is just about
configure options and I'm already using the --non-free option. I am merely
curious about this interpretation of the GPL. I find the interpretation to be
selfish and it's just asking to be challenged.
Sven
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