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'

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?