On 3/14/07, Rahul Sundaram wrote:
In a region which recognized and allows software patents like in US, you can have a entirely Free and open source software and still be restricted by patents. In such regions MP3 as a technology has restrictions. Writing a software that infringes on a patent should be ok as long as you dont redistribute it to a third party with appropriate patent licenses. Even when you do have patent licenses you might be infrigning on other similar patents for the same technology.
http://www.oreillynet.com/digitalmedia/blog/2007/02/microsoft_must_pay_in_mp...
Using a MP3 player is restricted or allowed depending on whether it is commercial or private use. In India or other regions which dont recognize software patents either of these activities are completely legal.
Rahul, can you document it properly on http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Multimedia/MP3 plz?
And possibly add a link to http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Multimedia/fluendo-mp3 as well :)
regards, Chitlesh