[vlc] vlc usage questions

[Felix Paul Kühne]

Dear Thomas Engel,


On 24.02.2010, at 12:11, Ben Eichinger wrote:

> Dear vlcPlayer team,
> 
> I am working in a project with order to create a portable USB-device with video content (wmv) for commercial purposes. 
> We use java technologie. The content files will be stored encrypted. To show the content we want to use portable applications which are located on the usb-device.
> 
> To play the videos we want to use your solution. To specify this: 
> - We want to roll out your portable player.
> - We don't modify source code.
> - To show the video content file we use "dll-injection".
> - As Frontend we use the vlc Player.
> 
> Is this okay for you or does it hurt the gpl?
We are not lawyers, so we cannot say for sure especially since you didn't provide the target legislation. Please ask a lawyer of your personal trust.

The usual interpretation is that as long as a linking application provides a useful usage experience without the GPL-licensed dependency, it is alright. For example, you can use our ActiveX plugin within Internet Explorer without any legal issues. Note that your customers always have the right to ask for VLC's complete source code including its used dependency which you will need to provide.

> Is it possible to customize the player so that the user can't save the video file?
Yes, you can disable the stream output at compilation time or remove the respective plugins afterwards.

> We only need a very simple skin.
A skin editor is available at videolan.org.

> Is it possible for You to offer another license type?
No, there are hundreds of individual, non-related contributors to VLC and you'd have to ask each of these for their personal consent.


Best regards,

Felix Kühne