[Advocacy] persuading mobile phone manufacturers to implement Vorbis support

[Jeff Waugh]

<quote who="Conrad Parker">

> On 06/05/07, Alexander van Loon <svloon at xs4all.nl> wrote:
> >[an outline of Ogg Vorbis availability on handsets]
> >
> >My final question is, does the Xiph.Org Foundation actively try to
> >persuade mobile phone/media player manufacturers to implement Ogg Vorbis
> >support out-of-the-box in their devices?
> 
> That's a great idea, and you have obviously put some thought into the
> requirements for including Ogg Vorbis support.

> In the longer term, it would be useful to work together with groups like
> the W3C's Mobile Web Initiative (http://www.w3.org/Mobile/) and the Gnome
> Mobile and Embedded Initiative (http://www.gnome.org/mobile/) towards
> these goals.

Hi there,

I didn't receive the original email, but thought I'd add some thoughts given
that Conrad has roped me in (thanks!)...

What I keep hearing from vendors is that they don't want to ship Xiph codecs
because their patent encumberances are not clear. In response I really enjoy
reeling off names of vendors who *do* ship Xiph codecs, but it seldom helps,
despite the very broad (albeit quiet) industry support.

GNOME is in the process of becoming the first community project to join the
Open Invention Network, which can hopefully be an umbrella of protection for
lots of Open Source code, and present at least one answer to those vendors
concerned about clarity in this area. I would recommend that Xiph consider
doing the same -- and I would be happy to sound them out about the
opportunity.

Thanks,

- Jeff

-- 
linux.conf.au 2008: Melbourne, Australia        http://lca2008.linux.org.au/
 
     "Ah, now we see the violence inherent in the system." - From Monty
                      Python to ESR, by way of Al Viro