[Theora] Independent implementations?

[Freun Laven]

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Message-ID: <000701c469c5$82a7b800$8c649c3f at computername>

From: "Maik Merten"

> Freun Laven wrote:
> > I don't think
> > any 'new' exclusive licensing terms were given to Xiph.
>
> The "original" VP3-code (with some bugfixes I assume) is available in
> Xiph SVN. This VP3-code comes with Xiph?s BSD-like license:
>
> http://svn.xiph.org/trunk/vp32/LICENSE

That's not the "original" one.  Not the original official package.  (As you
said, it probably has bug fixes etc.)

I can't find any official *original* copy of vp32 (or Xiph's original
version) with an original copy of the license.

Yes, I definetly saw that.  But it seems to be rather lacking in details.

> That?s why I think the VP3-license does not apply to Theora.

That is a possibility.

But there has never been anything officially posted about the agreement
between On2 & Xiph.  (Assuming there was a special agreement.)  (At least
nothing that I remember or that I can find.)

All that's given is a just a little one paragraph quote.  I mean...
really.... Is that all On2 had to say on the subject?  Lawyers tend to like
saying at least a few things more, such as "we can't guarantee anything",
"you can't sue us", etc.

Just look at what all they put into their own open source license.

That's why I find it hard to believe that one single paragraph is all On2
had to say about Xiph's license.  (Assuming it was actually different from
what they gave everybody else.)

Where is the original statement from them?  Where is the original code they
gave Xiph?

No, I think the code that was posted on the vp3.com site is all there was.
Xiph was a part of that, but I don't see anything to actually say there was
a special agreement between On2 and Xiph.  Much less just a single paragraph
of an agreement.

When the vp3.com site launched, it did talk about Xiph etc. etc., so I don't
think there was anything special for Xiph.  I think what they posted on the
vp3.com site was the whole thing.  Xiph didn't later get any special
conditions.  Xiph just sumarized the long license into something easier to
read, and quoted one paragraph from On2 to satisfy user needs about On2's
position.  The whole official license is "on file" with Xiph.