[starman]

Hi all,
So I've beeen hinting at this app I've been working on. Part of it was going to be converting movies using ffmpeg. I remembered that ffmpegX isn't distributed with these apps - you have to get them yourself.

The text from http://ffmpeg.sourceforge.net/legal.php says:

Be advised that FFmpeg incorporates several modules that are covered under The GNU General Public License, notably liba52 and libpostproc. If you use these components in your project, you are expected to release your whole application under the GPL if you distribute your project at all. This is the full text of the GPL.

The reason I ask is because there is one app I know of that IS distributed with ffmpeg and the author has NOT put his app's source into the GPL. Is he in violation of the license agreement?

Bottom line: should I or should I not distribute my app with ffmpeg if I don't want to release the source?

Mike

[TheBadgerHunter]

I don't see the big deal. As long as the user doesn't get it with your software it isn't an issue.

Unless they're using the GPL, yep.

[starman]

Originally posted by TheBadgerHunter:
I don't see the big deal. As long as the user doesn't get it with your software it isn't an issue.

Unless they're using the GPL, yep.

Well, that's the problem. I can't offer an "out of the box" solution because of the legal issue. I just want to make sure I understood it properly.

Mike

[saddino]

According to the page you refererence:

Q: Since FFmpeg is licensed under the LGPL, is it perfectly all right to incorporate the whole FFmpeg core into my own commercial product?

A: You might have a problem here. Sure the LGPL allows you to incorporate the code. However, there have been cases where companies have used FFmpeg in their projects, usually for such capabilities as superior MPEG-4 decoding. These companies found out that once you start trying to make money from certain technologies, the alleged owners of the technologies will come after their dues. Most notably, MPEG-LA (licensing authority) is vigilant and diligent about collecting for MPEG-related technologies.

Sounds like you might want to "skip" this feature IMHO.

[Millennium]

Originally posted by starman:
The reason I ask is because there is one app I know of that IS distributed with ffmpeg and the author has NOT put his app's source into the GPL. Is he in violation of the license agreement?

Technically, yes.

Bottom line: should I or should I not distribute my app with ffmpeg if I don't want to release the source?

No, you shouldn't.

What you probably could do, however, is to make an automated installer for ffmpeg (something which grabs the files from some networked location and installs them) and distribute that with your app. It's playing the lawyer, but you are technically not distributing the ffmpeg with your app. You could even create your own distribution of FFmpeg, release the source to that, put it on your site, and then have the installer get that. Since your closed-source app and the Open-Source ffmpeg distro are still not being distributed together, you should be clean.

[starman]

Mil,
Looking at ffmpegX, it prompts you for the locations of the files it needs, so it makes you get it yourself. Not a bad solution, but it keeps everything legal. I might even write to the author of ffmpegX and see if there are any gotchas.

Mike

[mitchell_pgh]

Originally posted by starman:
Mil,
Looking at ffmpegX, it prompts you for the locations of the files it needs, so it makes you get it yourself. Not a bad solution, but it keeps everything legal. I might even write to the author of ffmpegX and see if there are any gotchas.

Mike

I agree that having end users simply download the needed files is the easiest way... it's important to remember that many end users will still be confused (I'm sure you realize that). I wish ffmpegx would offer a button to hit to download the needed files, but because mplayer and the other one are in the same zip download... that just won't work.

[RAILhead]

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
I agree that having end users simply download the needed files is the easiest way... it's important to remember that many end users will still be confused (I'm sure you realize that). I wish ffmpegx would offer a button to hit to download the needed files, but because mplayer and the other one are in the same zip download... that just won't work.

MovieGate will automatically download and install those items -- you simply tell it to and it grabs them for you.

Maury

[starman]

nullriver just released PSPWare which incorporates ffmepg:

http://www.nullriver.com

OOPS!

EDIT: I think it's safe to say that you can all figure out what I've been working on

Mike

[AB^2=BCxAC]

That really looks sweet and the pricepoint is perfect. I always thought the Missing Sync was too expensive for it's rejiggered conduits, but Nullsoft's delivering alot of bang for the bucks, GNU aside. This software makes the PSP seem more like a game-pod than I thought it would ever be. Makes me want to get a PSP just to try it out!

Any thoughts of future support for iCal and Mail?

[starman]

Originally posted by AB^2=BCxAC:
That really looks sweet and the pricepoint is perfect. I always thought the Missing Sync was too expensive for it's rejiggered conduits, but Nullsoft's delivering alot of bang for the bucks, GNU aside. This software makes the PSP seem more like a game-pod than I thought it would ever be. Makes me want to get a PSP just to try it out!

Any thoughts of future support for iCal and Mail?

That's not what I've been working on. I have my own app.

Any thoughts of future support for iCal and Mail?

SHHHHHHHH!

Mike

[AB^2=BCxAC]

Then more power to you! : )

[mitchell_pgh]

It's all coming together good luck with the program. It may even make me consider buying one.

[starman]

myPSP Preview Release is up, minus the ffmpeg tool until I know for sure I can use it.

http://www.starman.cc/myPSP

Mike