[MPlayer-dev-eng] [?patent license question?]

[Ivan Kalvachev]

?? said:
> hello,
>   if we use mplayer soluction  in our hardware
>   product(for example: digital camera,etc.),
>  do we have to pay any patent license fee?_?
>  if yes, which part?(for example: mp3/mpeg/,etc.?_?)
>
> best regards,
>
MPlayer is distributed under GPL license.
This mean that you need to comply with the clauses there.
In short, if you modify the source you should make all changes public.
You won't have problems as long as you don't hide anything
from developers ;)

About patents.

This is an very tricky part. Currently MPlayer is developed
and hosted outside countries that force software patents.

It also depends what functionality you need to use. MPlayer
have a lot functionality you may not need.
I guess that you cannot avoid MPEG-LA if you need
something more than MPEG-1.

The problem with patents is that they limit the use of
the programs, and this conflict with GPL. If you accept
patent you should make so everybody could use the program
without limitations. If you don't accept it then you may
get procecuted for patent violation. To avoid that GPL
programs usually explicitly forbid distribution in
some countries.

You should contact lawyer and Free Software Foundation
to get explanation is it possible and how to solve these
issues.

I recommend you to read this thread :
  http://edu.bnhof.de/pipermail/xvid-devel/2003-December/003776.html

Best Regards
   Ivan Kalvachev
  iive