[FFmpeg-devel] FOMS 2009 FFmpeg outbrief

[Justin Ruggles]

Jason Garrett-Glaser wrote:
>> 4. CONERN: --disable-patents.
>>   "It would be nice to build FFmpeg with all patent encumbered
>>    codecs/containers disabled."
>>
>>   Duh, this is can be achieved today by disabling everything except RAW.
>>
>>   Would require lots of work to tag pieces of the code with the corresponding
>>   patent number(s) and expiry dates.
>>
>>   Such an effort would never be complete, or carry authority. It would
>>   therefore be of academic value only.
>>
>>   Which country? Only U.S patents? Probably.
>>
>>   Somebody who cares about patents would need to do this.
> 
> I think such an option, even if someone was willing to do it, would be
> completely antithetical and contrary to the goals of the ffmpeg
> project.  If Xiph or whoever want this sort of thing, they can
> maintain it themselves and continue to doom themselves to utter
> irrelevance while ffmpeg continues doing actual development on things
> the rest of the world care about.

how about --probably-patent-safe-but-hire-a-lawyer-if-you-really-care

;)

but really, i completely agree with Dark Shikari. the only person who
should care about the "acedemic value" would be a patent lawyer. if
someone was really concerned about patents and decided to rely on some
list we might come up with, they would be looking to the wrong place.

-Justin