[MPlayer-users] Windows binary availability?

[Alexander Werth (gmx)]

Am Sam, 2001-12-15 um 12.08 schrieb Mendel Mobach:
> > asf and mov formats are patented, and at least asf, shouldn't be
> > implemented by non-m$ company/group without their permission.
> 
> I guess you don't have to do in europe (I know nothing about the .hu laws but 
> in .nl software patents are still not legal so they can't force us here to 
> use remove something inst
Most "software patents" are not patented code but a patented procedure
of doing something. So for examlple they patented the way to pack media
data into asf streams. That's allowed at least in germany and in most
other european countries too (though I wouldn't give it the credits of a
patent because it lacks the technical new aspekt).

> > btw there is libavcodec too which based on reverse engineered DLLs.
> 
> Reverse engenieering is allowed in some european Union countries (Guess it 
> was germany and/or denmark) for porting 'stuff' to other platforms.
Reverse engineering of the interface in germany is allowed, if You can't
get the information otherwise. Licensing would be a way to do so
otherwise so it would be most likely declared illegal in court. Things
are not that clear here that's why companies woukd use dozen of lawers.

Alexander Werth

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