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Java Media Framework Drops MP3

Posted by chrisd on from the more-ammo-for-ogg dept.

realinvalidname writes "Sun had stopped downloads of its Java Media Framework about a week ago due to an undisclosed 'licensing issue.' Now we know what it is, as they've removed MP3 encoding and decoding from the JMF that's downloadable now. Of course, this isn't surprising given recent news about new MP3 licensing terms."

3 of 186 comments (clear)

  1. Oh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Troll

    Oh, you mean the recent news that you irresponsibly covered, without amending the original post, resulting in much ado about nothing, as basically nothing changed?

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/26893.htm l

    Next time, when you post a story that's clearly going to cause paranoia and misunderstanding, try to be a bit more adult about it. Mod this down as far as you like - I like Ogg, too, but if this is what it takes for it to gain widespread acceptance, something's wrong.

  2. Write once run nowhere by agraham · · Score: 0, Troll

    So now the Java programs I wrote last year --those "write once run everywhere" programs-- cannot be run on today's JVM. The only way to make them run will be to insist the user installs an old JVM. Like that's gonna happen.

    Hey Sun, take a page from the W3 and don't add standards to your standard that you can't depend on for reasonable licencing terms.

    --
    To each, mine.
  3. Breaking News: Sun About to go Chapter 11 by NewtonsLaw · · Score: 1, Troll

    Well maybe they're not about to go bankrupt -- but given that they seem to be too cheap to buy a license to distribute the MP3 decoder element of their software you have to wonder don't you?

    I noticed that they'd "temporarily suspended downloads" of the JMF when I went to download it a couple of weeks ago -- although no mention was made at that time exactly which license was the "issue" involved.

    Having co-authored a book about Java, having got the tee-shirt, having collected the coffee-mug, and having the Java-cap in my closet, I have to admit that I'm disappointed with the way Sun have screwed up what could have been a beautiful thing.

    Either they're going to sink enough resource into Java to fix the bugs, create a more programmer friendly GUI classlib, and compete head-on with Microsoft's offerings -- or they're going to nickle and dime the project all the way to the grave. I fear the latter is more likely based on events of the past five years or so.

    Sad really -- I like Java.