6by9 wrote: ↑Fri May 25, 2018 6:24 am
But falls foul of the lawyers big time.
Ubuntu enables
software decoding. The codec licence enables
hardware decoding. Software is mainly viewed that you can't stop a user doing as they please. Hardware is expected to be locked down unless the fees are paid.
You better run that by your lawyer's again - the "you can't stop a user part" DOES apply to Ubuntu, because, they didn't sign a contract with MPEG LA - but apparently YOU DID.
So, what it would seem applies to you is
http://www.mpegla.com/main/programs/M2/ ... ement.aspx
(1) For MPEG-2 Decoding Products in hardware or software (such as those found in set-top boxes, DVD players and computers . . .
Hmm, "hardware *OR* software", no distinction, that why Microsoft started charging for their media center "software" codec.
So what would it matter if the user did as I described above and typed 'raspi-config' and after a stern warning elected to install the MPEG2 hardware codec, verses using the ones built into the Raspberry Pi's Official "Raspbian OS" - the difference is that at least I proposed a "stern warning" - which is more than we get when using the built in codecs in Raspbian.
Raspbian has been this way FOR YEARS NOW, so what happens when someone decides to "enforce the contract" you seem to thinks it's so cool to keep yourself locked into, and go after back fees plus penalties? Someone mentioned 7 million dollars; what would that be with Triple or Quadruple "damages" ?
But by all means, don't run with the herd and adopt the tried and true "restricted extras" model, just be aware that like certain folks recently in the news, you might come to regret the contract you locked yourself into.
Because if you are arguing that you can not let ME decide that a hardware MPEG2 codec is now free and unencumbered and therefore ok to install, because that would subject YOU to liability, then you have already admitted that you are equally culpable for ALL those Raspbian SOFTWARE codecs out there which were made freely available in Raspbian.
Now you are trying to argue simultaneously that you let users use the
software MPEG2 capabilities built into Raspbian, when depending on where they were living, this might have violated the restrictions on MPEG2 then in effect in their country (probably did) but this is not the responsibility of the Pi Foundation, BECAUSE THE CHOICE WAS ALL THEIRS -- but at the same time -- you expect me to believe that the Pi Foundation CAN'T POSSIBLY allow me make a similar choice for
hardware MPEG2 decoding, even though here in the U.S.A. (your largest market, I'm sure) ALL PATENTS HAVE EXPIRED AND MPEG2 IS NOW FREE TO USE.
Honestly, I wouldn't want to be in your shoes right now - not be a good legal position to be in - but you can't have it both ways.