On Tue, Oct 13, 1998 at 07:58:58AM +0200, Michael Meskes wrote: > > > x11amp-static > > > mp3.8hz > > > > You didn't watch the 100 messages thread on debian-private? > > I never got it. In fact I was surprised I didn't get a single mail on > private for at least two months. Could anyone please check whether I'm still > listed there? > > Also would you care to summarize? x11ampg at least we have no license to distribute (at all), the package was also in contrib rather than non-free. We couldn't contact the author. Hopefully at some point that can be resolved, but there was no license at all distributed with the package. I'm guessing x11amp-static would have been an older version or something like that. mp3.8hz had a nice letter from the owners of a few patents demanding they start paying a license fee per copy of 8hz-mp3 distributed. They wanted essentially $25(didn't give indication, but I'd assume US) per copy with a minimum yearly payment of $100,000 or something like that. 8hz decided to panic rather than fight back considering that software patents are iLLEGAL where 8hz was being developed, and when Debian developers contacted them they said that it would be best if we didn't distribute it for our own sakes anymore. German corporations are as bloodthirsty as American ones are. I had my copy of 8hz before this all came up. And I'm not going to get rid of it--they did say distribute didn't they?
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