[desktop-discuss] Songbird porting...

[James Andrewartha]

Brian Cameron wrote:
> Stephen:
>> If Songbird is distributed as GPL, and it uses GStreamer under LGPL (and 
>> thus converts GStreamer to GPL via section 3 of the LGPL), why would 
>> that stop you from using the Fluendo one (which is distributed via MIT)?
> 
> The LGPL is a more lenient license, and does not have the issues that
> GPL has.  Therefore there is no issue linking the MP3 plugin into LGPL
> GStreamer.
> 
> However, it is a problem to link LGPL GStreamer with a plugin that
> contains patent restrictions (such as the requirement of paying a fee)
> into a GPL end-user application, such as rhythmbox or Songbird.
> 
> Just because the Fluendo code is released under the MIT license does
> not mean that the licensing restrictions (you must pay a fee) do not
> apply to the Fluendo MP3 code.  You could think of this code as being
> dual-licensed - under both the MIT license and the license associated
> with MPEG.  Another way to look at it is the plugin code that does
> not involve the MPEG patents is under the MIT license.
> 
>> Or is the GStreamer MP3 decoder plugin you're using the binary Sorenson 
>> one referenced in the gstreamer.freedesktop.org FAQ you linked below?  
>> Our current release (0.5) is licensed under GPL, due to our dependency 
>> on VLC for Mac/Windows.  For 0.6 we can move to something like MPL since 
>> we'll be moving to GStreamer on all three platforms.
> 
> If Songbird is GPL, then it would have the same issue.  You would not
> be able to distribute Songbird which uses GStreamer and a MP3 decoder
> at the same time.
> 
> I am not familiar with the MPL, but if it allows you to link in such
> code that has licensing restrictions, then the MPL might be okay.
> 
>> I'm actually refining our licensing stuff now, so it's possible I can 
>> look into adding an exemption like what Totem has - but I just want to 
>> make sure I fully understand all the issues first.  :)  Knowing exactly 
>> which MP3 decoder plugin you're talking about would help me I think..
> 
> Providing an exception like Totem has would be a good thing, just to
> be clear.  Providing such an exception with the GPL license is also
> a way to resolve the issue.  However, the totem exception only allows
> GStreamer plugins that have such licensing restrictions.  You might
> want a more general exception that allows any backend plugins - in
> case you might want to support other backends aside from GStreamer
> in the future.

All the Mozilla copyright holders would have to agree to a GPL license 
exception, which is infeasible - the last Mozilla relicensing took years. 
Switching to MPL would be a business decision by PotI. So reusing the 
Firefox plugin finder for the MP3 plugin is probably the most 
straightforward solution, if not the most user-friendly.

-- 
James Andrewartha