Re: [xine-devel] MPEG-2 patents

[Mike M. <mel...@pc...>]

On Fri, 5 Dec 2003, Graham Brooks wrote:

> This is really really bad.
>
> I'm sorry if this has been all hashed out before, but I had no idea
> that the so called "standard" called MPEG-2 has patent problems.
>
> http://www.mpegla.com/
>
> also
>
> http://www.mpegla.com/news/n_02-08-08_m2.html
>
> Reading through the MPEG LA web site I can't see how any open source
> initiative can produce an MPEG-2 reader without violating the
> patents.

	Did I miss something here? How did the subject of MPEG-2 patent
suddenly come up? (Although looking at the headers of the message reveals
that it is actually part of another thread.) So let's get something
straight here:

	A lot of our multimedia hacking work might possibly step on
various patents. We trod stubbornly along until, ahem, 'something'
happens. Reckless? Perhaps. But nothing would ever be accomplished
otherwise.

	I've been meaning to write up a legal FAQ for this project and
another multimedia project since these items come up frequently.

	Hope this helps...
--
	-Mike Melanson