[wellylug] MPEG/DVD encoding/decoding.

[JP]

 --- David Zanetti wrote: 

> Stuff "not in Debian" is a bit of a problem. mplayer
> is not in debian
> because of a spat between them and the developers,
> not an actual legal
> issue AFAIK. 
> 

There is a spat _and_ there are legal issues -- read
the Debian mailing lists for the gruesome detail.  

I guess my search for a strictly legitimate way to do
mpeg has proved to me that it is actually close to
impossible without breaking the law (IANAL, which is
half the problem here).  Apparently the ISO has had
some policy about standards being unencumbered by
patents etc., but it's obviously not enforced in the
case of MPEG.

Buying specialised hardware or installing Windows
(sacreligious!) seem to be the ways to go to maintain
perfect cleanliness.  But I may just have to face the
fact that I can't be pure about this, if I want to do
useful stuff on my Linux machine.  

Anyone know if the NZOSS has had an IP lawyer talk to
them about what is and what is not legal/tolerated in
NZ?

Cheers
Tony

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