New MP3 License Terms Demand $0.75 Per Decoder

Götz writes "The licensing terms of Thomson and the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, who are the owners of the mp3 patents, have changed. Now not only mp3 encoders but also mp3 decoders require a license. This page lists the fees -- it's $0.75 per decoder. As a consequence, Red Hat has already removed all mp3 players from the Rawhide development version."

Comments

Re:Thank god for ogg!

[llZENll]

uh, glad i used wma since it better quality, just make sure you turn off the m$ secure digital contect 'feature'

Re:Probable consequences?

[dknj]

its most definitely "there yet" if you are talking about files encoded below 128kbps. have you compared a 128kbps or greater ogg vorbis file to an mp3? ogg vorbis does not blow away mp3. not to mention the cpu usage that ogg still needs (yes its a moot point for computers nowadays, but think about the portable devices). ogg isn't going to replace mp3 until it can beat mp3 at everything mp3 is good at (much like linux isn't going to beat windows!)

-dk

sorry for the last line of troll

Standard Slashdot Answer

[toupsie]

How dare Thomson and the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft try to extract value from their patents. Don't they understand that information wants to be free and that patents are nothing more than brain theft? Shame! Shame! Shame! Write your Congressman, Senator and Media Outlet and demand your right to RIP your friend's cousin's step-sister's husband's CD collection without having to pay a fee to the patent holders of the MP3 format. If we are going to exercise our right to screw record companies, we cannot do it with the end of the barrel of a 75 cent gun pointed at us by the evil, corrupt thieves that are Thomson and the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft.

I would write more but there is a Toonami marathon on Cartoon Central and by God you will have to take my anime from cold, dead fingers! Now which sugar filled energy drink will I consume during cartoons^H^H^H^H^H^H^H anime?

Re:Hmm. Not bad.

[ImaLamer]

You are so dumb.

Like others you fail to realize that your hardware and many of your software players have already paid for the license.

Nullsoft already is paid up, there isn't going to be a per download free, your hardware maker might have already paid for a license or will pay per unit sold.

The only results from this bogus "news" will be opensource or un-licensed players would need to be hosted off-shore. You can't write your own and distribute it where the IP is respected.