[FFmpeg-devel] [RFC] FFmpeg Foundation

[Ronald S. Bultje]

Hi,

On Thu, Oct 29, 2009 at 9:29 AM, Peter Ross <pross at xvid.org> wrote:
> On Thu, Oct 29, 2009 at 09:01:33AM -0400, compn wrote:
>> On Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:16:47 +0100 CET, Fran?ois Revol wrote:
>> >Any rationale for basing it in US rather than elsewhere ?
[..]
> As somebody NOT based in the USA, I find this to be a legitimate
> question. So how about an answer?

Good question, I didn't want to answer over my iPhone becuse it would
take more than a few lines.

Answer 1: I'm in the US. I set this up, so this was more practical.
Somebody else might've done it in Europe.

Answer 2: SFLC did it for free in the US. For Europe, I'd have to hire
a lawyer in Europe, they are expensive (I was quoted for a few
thousand USD, even for a non-profit). That's the lawyer alone, not the
actual NGO application. I don't have that money right now. We may do
it later when we have some cash inflow in the US non-profit.

Answer 3: The org will NOT, I repeat, NOT own the domain name. As long
as the org supports, but does not own (c) nor control / direct actual
development (although we can fund legal parts of it, that even
includes RE'ing as long as compliant with the DMCA), it is fine.
Europe has similar laws anyway so it's not like we're gonna be safer
there. TPB was forbidden in several EU countries already.

Speaking of the legal aspect, if what we're doing is illegal, they
(who's they? Patent trolls? MS / Real / Sorensen?) could've sued us
already. They didn't. We're probably fine. Don't forget that we don't
distribute binaries anyway (I know, I know, this shouldn't matter; but
let's be practical while we're at it.)

Ronald