On Sunday 28 January 2007, Marcus Meissner wrote:
On Sat, Jan 27, 2007 at 06:53:38PM -0900, John Andersen wrote:
On Saturday 27 January 2007, Zhang Weiwu wrote:
Study shows not every "ordinary users" actually use google to search for a solution when they got a problem. So if people have to search for how to enable mp3, we already know many people has given up. And also study shows even in opensource world, only 1/7 people go ask questions on forum or mailing list. So if a google search doesn't leads to a workable solution, 6/7 people perhaps give up, only 1/7 will post something like me. Well perhaps only a very few percent will have a true hacker's spirit and hack down a solution when questions on forum/lists doesn't get a solution.
I would like NOVELL to publish an exact and complete and CONSOLIDATED change log of every package they intentionally cripple in their quest to appease the lawyers, and the methods used to cripple these packages.
Further, since the patent holders of mp3 state on their web page that you DO NOT NEED A LICENSE for home use I would like Novell to make available repositories that are FREE but never included in their boxed sets which overcome and reverse all crippling.
Reference: http://www.mp3licensing.com/help/index.html
QUOTE: " However, no license is needed for private, non-commercial activities (e.g., home-entertainment, receiving broadcasts and creating a personal music library), not generating revenue or other consideration of any kind or for entities with associated annual gross revenue less than US$ 100 000.00.
First ... Try reading and understanding the whole page.
The heading of your quoted part is: "4) Do I need a license to stream mp3, mp3PRO or mp3surround encoded content over the Internet?"
So it is just about _content_ not about _software_.
The page does clarify MP3 decoding software only in point (1): 1) Do you license mp3, mp3PRO and mp3surround software to end users? No. We license mp3/mp3PRO software and patents to developers and manufacturers of software applications and hardware devices.
The products specifically listed are their DEMONSTRATION products not something that is actually sold to end users. This point is solely about their software, which is not for sale to the public. It says nothing about other software. The price for a license for independently developed soft is 2% of the revenue related to that mp3 software, which if that software were free amounts to 2% of zero. There are dozens of free software mp3 encoders/decoders in existance and none of them have ever been contacted by these people about a license. Ever. Only organizations SELLING software that includes mp3 support (Such as Real) have to pay. Do you SERIOUSLY suggest that Real in paying 2% on every copy of realplayer GIVEN AWAY? -- _____________________________________ John Andersen -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org