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Java Media Framework Drops MP3
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."
Do they already have Ogg? Was it added? Or will they be adding it? --clambert
mailto:<?=implode("@", array("chris", implode(".", array("php", "net"))))?>
Maybe someone should check out this article first:
"Thomson has never charged a per unit royalty for freely distributed software decoders. For commercially sold decoders - primarily hardware mp3 players - the per-unit royalty has always been in place since the beginning of the program," a spokesman said"
"A Thomson spokesman told NewsForge's Robin Miller that it was a ruse by Ogg Vorbis advocates to get publicity.® "
http://www.theregus.com/content/4/26153.html
Fortunately, there is an open source Java MP3 decoder, JavaLayer that I've found to work quite nicely.
I see your point as to why you feel this is unfortunate, but would you mind explaining to the rest of us exactly why a company should invest licensing fees in something that's almost as free as air?
File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
I already pirate music.
Why should I care if I have to pirate the codec as well?
In case you're wondering, yes, I really do board boats, rape the women, kill the crew and take all the CDs on board. So there.
Adding support for Ogg Vorbis and Tarkin is bug 4499904 in the Bug Parade. This seems like a good time to vote for the bug and add your comments.
What a fool believes, he sees, no wise man has the power to reason away.
I thought it was already decided that the "changes" weren't new at all to the MP3 license terms.... I could be wrong though but thats what I thought the follow-up said....
"The saddest words of mice and men, are not those which were, but should have been."
The problem with Sun "donating" the licenses is that commercial products using JMF would normally be required to pay for the encoder. Say, a portable MP3 player running on an embedded Java platform. Sun is not in a position to say who will be using the codec in an acceptable way and who won't. So the only solution they have is to drop the distributed support. They had a similar situation a while back with the Java Cryptography Extension.
:)
All's not lost, however. JMF is a pluggable API, after all. Commercial products can make their own arrangements, while a freely-distributable codec could be made (by someone else) which can just be dropped in.
As for Ogg... give them a bit of time. It's easier to remove something (especially for legal reasons) than it is to put a replacement in. If you can't wait, write an Ogg codec for JMF and everyone using JMF will be able to drop it in and take advantage of it.
This does suck though, the JMF is a really nice framework, we built a servlet that played MP3s through the office stereo system using it.
The weird thing though is the disconnect here between Thomson, who claim the licensing rules have always been clear, and Sun, the sort of company who you would think would not embed someone else's IP unless they were very clear on the licensing issues. Sounds like Sun was very stupid and Thomson was very cunning.
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It's a media framework. That means it's not SUN's job to make it work with everything :) You can add your own plugin audio codecs. Think of it as a portable version of the Windows Media Codec registry. I'm sure there will be sites that you can download MP3 plugins for the JMF. I'm pretty sure Ogg already exists, but I'm not sure about that. ( JavaZoom claims they have some kind of a version)
Expect to see lots of codec's for JMF provided by third parties, the way it should be. Should be because SUN's programmers don't have the time nor inclination (nor obligation) to learn every little detail about every little file format. It'll be better in the end to have a more dedicated support for each codec whilst keeping the portability and API static for all codecs.
Karma Clown
I don't think that exempts you from the obligatory licensing fee.
The licensing fee DOES NOT apply to software decoders, only hardware decoders.
From the Register article:
A Thomson spokesman told NewsForge's Robin Miller that it was a ruse by Ogg Vorbis advocates to get publicity.®
Hmmph.
They'd be hard-pressed to add support for Tarkin, since it's barely even started, and not currently under active development (the Xiph coders are currently working on Theora, which is a project to integrate the VP3 codec -- which was originally closed-source and patented but has been donated to the Ogg project by the owners -- into the Ogg file format). Tarkin is still on the roadmap, but it's a long-term "what we'll do when we're done with everything else" goal with no timetable to completion.
10 PRINT CHR$(205.5+RND(1)); : GOTO 10
This link is carrying the story. Apparantly thomson has also said that they never said that this was applicable to software mp3 players! They blame it on rumours by vorbis group. At newsforge thomson has said that ogg is trying to get publicity and attention etc., they actually never had any restrictive terms for software mp3 playeres... no royalties for those.
My Aurora : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o91ZsGwJYyg
FB : https://www.facebook.com/TanveersPhotography
You know, if they left in the MP3 code, every time you wanted to use the Java Virtual Machine, you would have to insert your three quarters...
JOrbis is a GPL'ed Ogg decoder. Maybe the developers and Sun can work something out to reuse that code (GPL probably won't be OK with Sun for JMF).
Basically Thompson have said they currently don't plan to sue anyone making a software decoder but they don't grant you the right to use their patent either. Nobody selling or planning on selling software can use their patent without risk of infringement (and compensation pays triple if you knowingly infringe a patent) and being sued by Thompson in the future.
What some PR flack said doesn't change that. It's only what's in the licence that counts.
Next time when you are clearing posting to spread misinformation and crap, try posting as you so you can get modded down for it.Nerd: Derogatory term typically directed at anybody with a lower Slashdot ID than you.
sounds like Sun was very stupid and Thomson was very cunning.
Or that Thomson is plain lying about the licensing rules having always been clear.
Given the recent change and the furor it generated, I'm inclined to the latter view myself.
-- Alastair
Really now? You might want to take a look at the link provided in that very same article you lifted the "publicity" quote. The licensing specifically lists prices for "PC Software Applications" as well as "Hardware Products".
So why the hell is everybody freaking out? I agree, just like GIFs, the MP3 format is encumbered by patents, and it's probably a good idea to start transitioning to a format that doesn't have this problem. However, the sky hasn't fallen yet.
-J