[FFmpeg-devel] Big companies taking advantage of ffmpeg developers

[Crypto]

Michael,

I do not suppose anything normally, I just checked the installer and all 
as you can do it too. They are giving credit in the manual to Real Media 
(Helix)  and others but not to ffmpeg. It's more they are giving 
information to customer that they new features are full developed by them.

You can download the installer and test it. There're are not acknowledge 
info as usual in other companies that use LGPL products. I was concern 
because many companies do not give back anything for the advantage of 
open source software, at least comply with the license.

But in any case I just try to let you know.



Michel Bardiaux wrote:
> Crypto a ?crit :
>   
>> Michael
>> Michael Niedermayer wrote:
>>     
>>> Hi
>>>
>>> On Thu, Aug 23, 2007 at 02:22:20PM +0200, Crypto wrote:
>>>   
>>>       
>>>> I just wonder why some companies refuse to give credit to you, I 
>>>> discovered that Viewcast Corporation http://www.viewcast.com have launch 
>>>> a new version of their main product  Niagara SCX and the only apreciable 
>>>> advantage is that now they use ffmpeg with out fiving credit to ffmpeg. 
>>>> It's mroe thier licence is agains the LGPL in some terms.
>>>>     
>>>>         
>>> which terms?
>>>   
>>>       
>> First they do not give credict as stated on the LGPL and
>>
>> 1.  GRANT OF LICENSE. This EULA grants you a restricted non-exclusive 
>> license with the following rights: Use and Copy. ViewCast grants to you 
>> the right to use copies of the ViewCast SOFTWARE PRODUCT. You may make 
>> copies of the SOFTWARE PRODUCT for backup and archival purposes ONLY.
>>
>>     
> [snip]
>
> It is all about how they define the 'software product'. It is actually 
> rather common for Windows software to have EULAs where 'the product' 
> means (without saying explicitly so!) the actual proprietary part, while 
> the setup also installs some 'redistributable system components' - like 
> the latest versions of some MS DLLs; without crediting the 'owner' of 
> these components, or protecting them in any way in the EULA. In short, 
> they distribute libavcodec.dll etc as if they were MS dlls. Of course we 
> (I mean the ffmpeg developpers) dont like that, but maybe they 
> (viewcast) dont know any better. Maybe we should gently explain to them 
> what the LGPL requires, before we accuse them of 'taking advantage'.
>
>