[Ffmpeg-devel] Re: Suspected GPL violation by Erightsoft "super"

Dominik 'Rathann' Mierzejewski dominik
Thu Oct 26 10:21:51 CEST 2006


On Thursday, 26 October 2006 at 04:12, Alexey Sidelnikov wrote:
[...]
> Well, from the first and third paragraphs I'd say it is clear that I can 
> use ffmpeg.exe in non-GPL program, do you agree? I mean, just call it 
> with some command line, and take its output.
> 
> The second paragraph explicitly prohibits "modules including in one EXE 
> file", but I'd say it does not have the meaning of packing into 1 
> zip/exe file, what would you say? If I provide 1 exe file with ffmpeg 
> which runs, after decompression, as a separate process - is it violation 
> of GPL license?

IANAL, but I think that if the exe is an installer/archive and the binaries
inside are built from _unmodified_ GPL sources, then it's not a violation.
However, if they've been modified (like in this case), then those
modifications are covered by the GPL and _must_ be provided in source form,
too.

Regards,
R.

-- 
MPlayer developer and RPMs maintainer: http://rpm.greysector.net/mplayer/
There should be a science of discontent. People need hard times and
oppression to develop psychic muscles.
	-- from "Collected Sayings of Muad'Dib" by the Princess Irulan




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