Re: [rtcweb] H.261

cowwoc <cowwoc@bbs.darktech.org> Wed, 27 November 2013 18:56 UTC

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Date: Wed, 27 Nov 2013 13:56:00 -0500
From: cowwoc <cowwoc@bbs.darktech.org>
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To: Stephan Wenger <stewe@stewe.org>, tim panton <tim@phonefromhere.com>
References: <CEB4350B.1E7B2%mzanaty@cisco.com> <20131122171020.GY3245@audi.shelbyville.oz> <7949EED078736C4881C92F656DC6F6C130EA9E66AF@ausmsex00.austin.kmvtechnologies.com> <528F9DAD.3030300@googlemail.com> <7949EED078736C4881C92F656DC6F6C130EA9E66DE@ausmsex00.austin.kmvtechnologies.com> <528FAAA8.8060807@googlemail.com> <7949EED078736C4881C92F656DC6F6C130EA9E66FE@ausmsex00.austin.kmvtechnologies.com> <528FB79F.8090405@gmail.com> <7949EED078736C4881C92F656DC6F6C130EA9E670F@ausmsex00.austin.kmvtechnologies.com> <528FBC43.5000409@librevideo.org> <9783CBA7-FCF4-4241-8A04-F8DBBA409032@cisco.com> <529569C1.5010909@bbs.darktech.org> <CEBABA4F.AAF51%stewe@stewe.org> <5295828A.4050506@bbs.darktech.org> <DFE8489F-D483-44AE-8612-5106A2981BD6@phonefromhere.com> <CEBB59D2.AAFE2%stewe@stewe.org>
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Cc: "rtcweb@ietf.org" <rtcweb@ietf.org>
Subject: Re: [rtcweb] H.261
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This interpretation leaves me very uncomfortable at the thought of using 
H.264 in my own products. How can we base our business on a technology 
when the owner refuses to issue public answers (i.e. commitments) 
regarding its own licensing terms?

This might work for companies with deep pockets for lawyers, but I don't 
think it makes sense for the rest of all. And don't tell me that we're 
safe so long as we use less than "100k units" when the very definition 
of a unit is unknown.

Gili

On 27/11/2013 11:41 AM, Stephan Wenger wrote:
> I doubt very much that you will get an authoritive answer to the those
> broad interpretation questions from MPEG-LA, even if they were formulated
> in a precise and concise way (which, currently, they certainly are not).
> MPEG-LA commonly doesn't want to go public with their own interpretation
> of the agreement, and prefer to do so only with consent of the licensor
> group, which is harder to obtain than herding cats because of the very
> diverse nature of the licensor community.  One motivation of this silence
> may be the fear of weakening the license by making public statements about
> its interpretation that may provide openings for sharp company lawyers to
> cheat out of their licensing obligations.  It¹s a common theme in the
> legal community: say as little as possible.
>
> What can be done, and is (so I understand) not uncommon, is that a company
> (a prospective licensee, but not a ³community²) contacts MPEG-LA directly,
> explains their business model, and asks how that fits within the agreement
> language.  This process can result in a side letter that includes an
> interpretation of the agreement language tailored to the business model of
> the company.  Those side letters are confidential.  The agreement itself
> is AFAIK take it or leave it.