Re: Packaging swftools for Debian
On Dec 17, 2005 at 18:48, Simo Kauppi praised the llamas by saying:
> On Sat, Dec 17, 2005 at 03:21:41PM +0100, Lionel Elie Mamane wrote:
> > No, you have to _remove_ the offending code. Not only "disable it at
> > build-time", but not ship it at all, also not in the
> > source. Distributing infringing source code, not only infringing
> > binaries, is an infringement to the patent. (The right mailing list
> > for discussing this particular point is debian-legal@lists.debian.org)
>
> Sorry for being a little vague. What I meant was that it uses liblame
> library by default and that dependency can be disabled at build time.
>
> My understanding is that there is no offending code in the swftools
> itself (at least I haven't noticed any, but I have to double check :)
>
> So, by disabling lame, it compiles and runs without users needing to
> install any non-free software (the liblame library). The only drawback
> is, that two of its binaries, avi2swf and wav2swf, cannot be used. Since
> it has many other useful tools, I would like to see a Debian package
> from it anyway.
>
The obvious solution would be something that ldopened liblame, so a user
could install liblame if they wanted and get the functionality that they
would have done if it was compiled in now. I believe that would be
allowed in Debian, as we wouldn't be distributing anything
patent-encumbered.
--
David Pashley
david@davidpashley.com
Nihil curo de ista tua stulta superstitione.
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