Re: [tlug] playing real video with an open source player

["Stephen J. Turnbull" <stephen@example.com>]

>>>>> "ben" == ben konrath <ben@example.com> writes:

    ben> Ok, I think that this is the source of my confusion. What
    ben> exactly is helix? Does helix have the same relationship to
    ben> realmedia that mozilla has to netscape?

No.  Realmedia is a hardcore proprietary outfit, with software patents
and the whole nine yards.  There's nothing wrong with that, as long as
you call it by its name: government-franchised monopoly.  The pricing
strategy is to give away the decs (they don't co) and sell the cos to
the content vendors.

What is meant by the codecs being open is that the API is open, and it
is therefore possible to write open source software and plug the
codecs in.  That's an open API; it is not open source or free software.

I suggest a letter to Moglen is in order, as the people who are
sponsoring him are at best clueless, and more likely have an interest
(perhaps mere laziness, perhaps financial) in clouding the issues.

As for free alternatives, according to the little I know it's hard to
be sure there are any.  The problem is that video codec is a hard
problem, and therefore the area is rife with patents (deserved ones,
by traditional standards, unlike most software patents).  AFAIK none
are administered by trustworthy open-source organizations.  So any
reasonably effective codec is very possibly in breach of the claims of
one or more patents.

If Alberto Tomita doesn't speak up, you might want to get in touch
with him; he is something of an expert in the area.


-- 
Institute of Policy and Planning Sciences     http://turnbull.sk.tsukuba.ac.jp
University of Tsukuba                    Tennodai 1-1-1 Tsukuba 305-8573 JAPAN
               Ask not how you can "do" free software business;
              ask what your business can "do for" free software.