[Speex-dev] iLBC "no charge, but not open-source"

[Steve Kann]

Pierre Dumuid wrote:

> I was just looking at the page:
>
> http://www.speex.org/comparison.html
>
> and noticed:
> --- Snip ---
> iLBC <http://www.ilbcfreeware.org/> 	8 	13.3 	30 	
> 	
> 	
> 	yes 	
> 	no charge, but not open-source
>
> --- Snip ---
>
> But when I went to that link, it seemed that:
> --- Snip ---
>
>
>     iLBC is /free/
>
> Unlike the other low bitrate codecs, iLBC is available for free and 
> comes with full source code. If you would like to try it out and use 
> it, please see freeware license. 
> <http://www.ilbcfreeware.org/documentation/gips_iLBClicense.pdf>.
> --- Snip ---
> I'm a bit curious that you have labelled this "not open-source".  I 
> had a quick read of the license, and it seemed a bit restrictive, (not 
> allowing for forking of code that would break functionality with their 
> bit stream, etc...)  
>
> Maybe a better sentence would be "no charge, source available, 
> restrictive licensing on source (not open-source)"

Yeah, but that wouldn't fit in the box.

Anyway, the most commonly accepted definition of open-source would not 
consider the iLBC codec to be open-source.  See 
http://opensource.org/docs/definition.php Section 3:

"The license must allow modifications and derived works, and must allow 
them to be distributed under the same terms as the license of the 
original software."

This license restricts modifications.

-SteveK



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