[vlc-devel] Re: VLC Mac OS X

[Derk-Jan Hartman]

>>> Unfortunately, we cannot use your buttons in the next version of  
>>> VLC. Their design is too close to the buttons of Apple's iTunes.  
>>> Since Apple, Inc. owns a copyright on the design (they own even  
>>> patents on the iTunes design...), we are legally not permitted to  
>>> use your button set.
>>
>> That's ridiculous.  Do you have this from a legal authority or an  
>> apple person?  I would have thought they would encourage  
>> consistency under the Mac environment. The current VLC version's  
>> buttons look exactly the same as the QuickTime player. I don't see  
>> why using Vincent's great design is a problem.


On 10 okt 2005, at 01:17, George Bray wrote:
> On closer inspection they do look like exact copies from iTunes.  I  
> love the Button Playlist though.  Vincent, are they your work?

That's different. First of all the symbols used in the left side of  
the controller are so common, Apple would never dare to claim  
anything on that. The buttons they are contained within are also  
uniformly found within the OS. And more importantly, they are not bit- 
exact copies. They were handcrafted to LOOK like the buttons used in  
iTunes. but they are NOT. (copyright etc etc etc).

The buttons in the right of the controller are all uniquely designed  
for VLC. and not by Vincent, but by a well known icon designer.  
However this person is now a lot more busy and doesn't seem to have  
the time to create additional buttons. (i asked him several times).

Vincents buttons seem to come DIRECTLY out of the resources of  
iTunes, which is simply not acceptable for iTunes specific artwork.  
(which the shuffle button for instance clearly is)

There is nothing wrong with consistency, but this is infringement of  
Apple's Copyright and they usually are less pleased about that.

DJ

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