MP3 patents (was: Freerunner's Future)

Harald Welte laforge at gnumonks.org
Sat Jun 6 09:27:06 CEST 2009


On Fri, Jun 05, 2009 at 12:26:42PM -0700, Steve Mosher wrote:
> I am somewhat constrained in what I am able to say. On one view there is 
> the position, held by some, that any hardware that is merely CAPABLE of mp3
> decode is required to apply for a license.  

I think that position cannot hold strong in any court of law.  You cannot charge
a MP3 license for each and every general purpose computing device.  This would
mean that e.g. every PC mainboard would have to pay the MP3 royalties, and I
can assure you, they dont ;)

So even while sisvel or others might claim such a position, it is pointless.

-- 
- Harald Welte <laforge at gnumonks.org>           http://laforge.gnumonks.org/
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