Bug#158683: ITP: oggasm -- MP3 to Ogg converter

["Adam Majer" <adamm@galacticasoftware.com>]

On Fri, Aug 30, 2002 at 04:55:46PM +0200, Robert Millan wrote:
> On Fri, Aug 30, 2002 at 10:31:23AM -0400, Joe Drew wrote:
> > On Fri, 2002-08-30 at 10:16, Robert Millan wrote:
> > > currently non-US is the only place where it can be without breaking law.
> > 
> > This is incorrect: mp3 patents exist in non-US places too, like Germany.
> 
> we definitely need an mp3 decoder in debian if we want to fight the
> patent oppression at all. i think we need another branch for that kind
> of problems.

lol, I doubt it would help. Just go to US patent office website and 
do a search on stuff like on title try "The Wheel". :) I know, it's getting
ridicules. What need to be done is for someone to sue the patent
office for stifling innovation and promoting monopolies. ie. something it
was originally created to fight.

> > > having mp3 players in non-free would still be illegal. mpg321 is free
> > > software that complies to DFSG and there's no reason to put it in
> > > non-free or non-free/non-US.
> > 
> > If fraunhofer say that you are allowed to distribute mp3 players for
> > free (but not for cost), then they must be put in non-free. And since
> > they have patents all around the world, they can't be put in non-us.
> 
> yes, but only non-free in states that impose patent restrictions. if we
> have such "non-patented" branch it would be free for users outside the circle.

I'm not sure, but an app A that incorporates algorithm BOB and BOB is "patented"
under a non-GPL license, then I don't think that A can be distributed as 
a GPL program.