[Linux-aus] Fwd: Ogg Vorbis and Theora removed from HTML5

[Mike Lampard]

On Monday 17 December 2007 10:43:59 Jeff Waugh wrote:
> <quote who="Paul Wayper">
>
> > Sorry, but to me it is disingenuous of Apple, Nokia and Microsoft to say
> > "well, it might have a patent in there somewhere despite all that
> > searching, we'd better not touch it being the good corporate citizens
> > that we are".
>
> That's really not what they're saying though. They're saying that they
> don't want to take the additional risk. I don't believe that public
> information exists that *rules out* the existence of submarine patents on
> Vorbis/Theora (for good reason), and they may feel as if they have better
> information to hand in the first place.

Fair enough.

> They have different values to us, and we can agree to disagree with them
> about some of those issues, but to assume the worst (and raise conspiracy
> theories) as a result of that is not particularly kind. We shouldn't throw
> our toys across the room just because there's disagreement about a complex
> issue like this. :-)

I dont think anyone is throwing tantrums about this, but this does highlight a 
continuing problem for the FOSS community.

If an opensource compatible codec that appears patent free is not without 
potential submarine patent risk, the corporates will be shy of using it.  
Fair enough.  Using patented multimedia tech in opensource apps is bad juju, 
begging for trouble, even if the respective patent-holders haven't sued 
_yet_.  We are diametrically opposed on this issue by our natures are we not?

So we -the FOSS community- lose interoperability to an extent, unless there is 
some sane patent reform that nullifies submarine patents after a reasonable 
time, or additionally/alternatively a patent-holder gives royalty free 
licencing to the opensource community.  That is not without some risk in 
itself.

</end rant>

Best Regards
Mike
PS. These are my last words on the matter... promise.
PPS. A Safe & Merry Christmas to All