[Wikipedia-l] Re: Theora and video policy...

[Peter Gervai]

Life is tough.

On Thu, Jun 24, 2004 at 09:03:41PM +0100, Timwi wrote:
> >The decoder at the very least is almost certainly 
> >legally okay, and widely available in players like winamp and xmms, and 
> >even the encoders, like LAME, are rather common and have not received 
> >legal threats.
> 
> As far as I'm aware, LAME is specifically paying the patent royalties.

<quote>
Using the LAME encoding engine (or other mp3 encoding technology) in your
software may require a patent license in some countries.                                                                                                                      
</quote>                 

> Decoding MP3 is patent-free, that is correct. Same with GIF.

<quote>
PC Software applications which incorporate mp3 / mp3PRO decoding                  
(player, decoder) and software applications incorporating mp3 /                   
 mp3PRO encoding capabilities (encoder, ripper, recorder, jukebox). 
[...]

    mp3 patent-only license                                     
This patent-only license is needed in case the mp3 software is                    
developed in-house or licensed from a third party.                                
Decoder                 . US$ 0.75 per unit or US$ 50 000.00 one-time paid-up                                          
Encoder / Codec         . US$ 2.50 per unit                                       

Note: This license does not cover the right to distribute,                        
broadcast and/or stream mp3 / mp3PRO encoded data. These rights are               
covered by the licenses described under Electronic Music                          
Distribution / Broadcasting / Streaming.             
</quote>

http://www.mp3licensing.com/royalty/software.html 


Dunno about any problems with GIF *decoding*, but you surely cannot *create*
compressed GIFs without paying.

Peter