Slashdot Mirror

dglidden writes "BladeEnc is another MP3 encoder that's been ported to Linux. The author says that since he lives in Sweden, the laws governing patents allow him to continue to develop and distribute his software despite Fraunhofer's recent attacks on MP3 developers " Ed: AFAIK: In the UK, and I thought in the rest of the EU, algorithms are recognized as mathematics, and therefore unpatentable. Indeed, according to jusrisdiction.com , European Software Patent Law excludes mathematical methods. Any lawyers care to clarify? (The 8Hz guys were students in the Netherlands (EU)) Ed: As the first comment points out: no source :-( However I would like to get some answers on the Patent question.

John Hayward-Warburton writes "A group of people at 8hz.com have been developing an MP3 encoder in an open way (just download the source and join the mailing list if you wish): but the people at the Fraunhofer Institute (who, among others, hold the patents to parts of the MP3 encoding process) have asked to discuss the payment of licence fees to the Institute. Accordingly, the programs have been removed from the websites where they were being developed. This is a sad day for people who thought they were free to help develop good-sounding data-reduction for audio. One of the letters is now now on show. "

Eric Leblanc sent us a link to 8hz which has a free mp3 encoder available that they claim is 30-60% faster than the usual suspects.