[FFmpeg-devel] [PATCH] G722 decoder

[Baptiste Coudurier]

On 3/24/2009 4:16 PM, Diego Biurrun wrote:
> On Tue, Mar 24, 2009 at 09:54:56PM +0000, Jethro Walters wrote:
>> <snip>
>>
>> Can somebody tell me definitively what ffmpeg is licensed as?
> 
> Check out the README, I'll paste the relevant section below.
> 
> Executive summary: LGPL v2.1 or later, unless you explicitly enable GPL
> components.  Then it becomes GPL v2 or later.

Well, this is not obvious at all.

According to the text in COPYING.LGPL, license is LGPL v2.1.
Each file have its own license which applies when "copying".

Now the README does not state the "or later" clause.

I'll repaste:
"Each version is given a distinguishing version number.  If the Library
specifies a version number of this License which applies to it and
"any later version", you have the option of following the terms and
conditions either of that version or of any later version published by
the Free Software Foundation.  If the Library does not specify a
license version number, you may choose any version ever published by
the Free Software Foundation."

I'd say that, according to the README which mentions COPYING.LGPL or
COPYING.GPL files, libraries as a whole are licensed under LGPL v2.1
_only_ or GPL 2 _only_, since it is not clearly stated, as required by
the COPYING.LGPL or COPYING.GPL

[...]

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