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MPlayer Alleges KISS Technology Violating GPL

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the code-by-another-name dept.

bfree writes "Not for the first time, the people at MPlayer think they have found their code being distributed binary only, this time in at least one of KISS Techologies products. In their traditional quiet style the full story is now the first piece of news on their homepage including string comparisons between the player ROM and MPlayer. The 'evidence' presented relates to subtitle identification, where the KISS ROM includes the same list, in order, of subtitle formats as MPlayer (including their own format mpsub) and MPlayer's patterns for each of the formats are also there identically."

4 of 423 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Really In Violation ? by dinivin · · Score: 0, Troll


    Wow, are you really that stupid?

  2. Re:Doesn't this count as fair use? by 91degrees · · Score: 0, Troll

    It doesn't matter whether their using it. the end user is not selling anything.

    Besides, the GPL has a clause that states nobody has to accept it. Hence, if it is rejected, normal copyright law comes into play. Copyright law does not give a 100% ban on any redistribution. This is what fair use is all about. Allowing people to distribute small portions for personal use.

    Copying an mp3 is NOT fair use. Firstly because of the nature of the work - i.e. it is made with the intention of making a profit for the distributors, and secondly the portion of the work. Copying 100% of a work is rarely fair use.

  3. Almost as bad as the RIAA by Caiwyn · · Score: 0, Troll

    Oh, look, MPlayer is yet again accusing someone of violating the GPL. I seem to recall them being accused of violating the GPL themselves not too long ago.

    Look, beside the rampant hypocrisy, the abusive attitude toward their own users, and the constant accusations of other people ripping them off, these guys also distribute the unauthorized Windows .dll files that make their player work. And they keep making accusations, even threats based on copyright law...

    These guys are almost as bad as the RIAA. I would hate to see them with any financial or legal power, suing the rest of us into submission...

  4. Minor correction. by Urkki · · Score: 0, Troll

    Your "Finland" link would seem to actually be to Hungary... Maybe I'm jumping to conclusions here, but after all it is .hu doman, and there's a Hungarian version of the page ;-)