Visit www.gnu.org for facts.
"J.D." wrote: > > Tom Stokes wrote: > > > > I'd like to put the .exe on my WEB site for awhile mostly just for the > > subscribers to this > > mailing list. Would this cause any problems with the various GPL > > license agreements (both LAME and > > MPGLIB)? I'd like to put up the .DLL as well (screw Thomson). Would > > this cause any > > additional problems for the LAME or MPGLIB developers? I must admit, > > I'm having > > trouble understanding what the GPL and LPGL agreements cover in this > > case. However, > > I will be making any and all source code available. > > > > If you'd like to keep things really simple, just release the whole > collection of source code under the LGPL or the GPL (your choice). > > Please note that disrespect for Thomson only has the potential to > hurt the developers of LAME, MPGLIB, or other MP3 applications. > > Thomson's current policy appears to allow the use of MP3 without > royalties, as long as it does not generate monetary income. > Should Thomson make royalty-free distribution impossible, the > "liberty or death" clause of the GPL/LGPL applies, and everyone > loses the right to distribute the code in question. > > Note that normally GPL or LGPL code may be sold for a profit. > (Typically, the price reflects the cost of the media, > distribution, and associated overhead.) However, with MP3, anyone > charging a fee invokes royalties, that in turn kills the GPL/LGPL. > While, this effect is implicit, you might choose to explicitly > state that no fee can be charged for your software as long as > the patents last or Thomson requires royalties for sales. > > There is a grey area, in that both the GPL and LGPL state, > "You may charge a fee...", but the GPL or LGPL do not make clear > whether the license still holds if charging a fee invokes a > condition that invalidates the license. To clarify this issue, > I suspect that a developer's license may have to include a clause > that takes precedence over the GPL or LGPL, that prohibits the > sale of the work for a fee, except when or where charging a fee > does not violate the distribution terms of either the GPL or LGPL. > > I'll CC this message to the FSF, in the hope of gaining additional > insight. > > Kind regards, > > - John > > -- > The author disclaims any errors or omissions found in the > approximation of reality contained within this message. > _______________________________________________ > mp3encoder mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://minnie.tuhs.org/mailman/listinfo/mp3encoder -- David Balazic -------------- "Be excellent to each other." - Bill S. Preston, Esq., & "Ted" Theodore Logan - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - _______________________________________________ mp3encoder mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://minnie.tuhs.org/mailman/listinfo/mp3encoder
