MP3 decoder packaged with XMMS
Hello,
My company is creating a distribution based on Debian
( http://64studio.com ) and one of the packages we wanted to include
was xmms. However, the Debian package of xmms includes the mpg123
library bundled as a plugin.
http://packages.debian.org/cgi-bin/search_contents.pl?searchmode=filelist&word=xmms&version=testing&arch=amd64
usr/lib/xmms/Input/libmpg123.a
usr/lib/xmms/Input/libmpg123.la
usr/lib/xmms/Input/libmpg123.so
The derived Ubuntu package contains the libmpg123.so library, so this
issue is also relevant to Canonical:
http://packages.ubuntu.com/cgi-bin/search_contents.pl?searchmode=filelist&word=xmms&version=hoary&arch=amd64
It probably applies to other Debian-based distributions too. Neither
Red Hat nor SuSE ship this library because the MP3 format is
proprietary, and decoders attract a patent licence fee of US$ 0.75
per unit shipped:
http://www.mp3licensing.com/royalty/software.html
There is an annual minimum royalty of US$ 15,000 per calendar year.
I believe the mpg123 library was re-licenced to GPL so that it could
be included in Debian. However, the GPL specifically covers the case
of patent licences in section 7:
"If you cannot distribute so as to satisfy simultaneously your
obligations under this License and any other pertinent obligations,
then as a consequence you may not distribute the Program at all. For
example, if a patent license would not permit royalty-free
redistribution of the Program by all those who receive copies
directly or indirectly through you, then the only way you could
satisfy both it and this License would be to refrain entirely from
distribution of the Program."
On mp3licensing.com I see no exception allowed for not-for-profit
organisations such as SPI, and companies redistributing Debian
packages, such as Canonical or my own, could certainly fall within
the scope of the patent licence. They may be unintentionally
violating the GPL too.
As a short-term measure, I suggest that the xmms package in Debian is
split into xmms and xmms-mpg123 with the latter package moving to
non-free. I have cc'd the maintainers of the xmms package in Debian.
I'd be very interested to hear the opinions of debian-legal, the
FSF/SFLC and Canonical on this issue.
Cheers!
Daniel James
Reply to: