Slashdot Mirror
Windows Media for Embedded Linux Systems
ntmonkey writes "According to this article, Microsoft has authorized InterVideo to port Windows Media Player to Linux. However, WMP will not be available to normal folks...Microsoft will only allow it to be distributed via set top boxes and the like."
No, the previous posts were Microsoft allowing the WMV9 encoders to be licensed for other operating systems. Previously, media tools from Microsoft could only be used on Windows (like Pinnacle Studio). With the WMV9 codec, licenses for tools can be purchased on any operating system, and much cheaper than MPEG4 licenses.
This new release is about their media PLAYER, for which licensing is a separate issue.
Not if the libraries in question are licenced under the LGPL. The LGPL specifically allows linking with non-GPLed code; that's the reason it exists distinct from the GPL.
It's official. Most of you are morons.
Yes you are missing a great deal. The GPL only restricts the code that is covered by the GPL. So if Microsoft chose to take the linux kernel and rerelease it, then they would have to release the source, otherwise they don't have to release anything under the GPL simply because they are using Linux as their kernel. Take, for example, Oracle, win4lin, Opera, and a host of other BSD licensed material that runs on linux.
This is just sig!
Lately I have found that the majority of /. stories are delayed mirrors of Google News Sci/Tech section. I generally check Google News for the stories, then come here about 2 hours later to see the dialog about the story. I knew this story would be making its way here sooner or later.