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Old 22nd August 2002, 19:34   #1  |  Link
Cryect
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XViD Development stopped

Hmmm.... well isn't this interesting.
Definately looks like Sigma Designs stole the code.

http://www.xvid.org/

EDIT by Koepi: made the URL RFC conformant, trailing slash...

Last edited by Koepi; 22nd August 2002 at 19:41.
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Old 22nd August 2002, 19:46   #2  |  Link
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I hope you now understand why I closed those threads and asked you to keep conversation about that "codec" down.

Sorry,
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Old 22nd August 2002, 19:51   #3  |  Link
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[ 19:40:27 ] _· · Topic : set by c_Cuffs : www.doom9.org | read www.xvid.org and and help then email Simga Designs for REALmagic sourcecode as it is ur right!

nuff said... email them, and that doesnt mean everyone send 1000 emails per second oh and, spread the word!
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Old 22nd August 2002, 19:58   #4  |  Link
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Hehe it was interesting when I was viewing the XVID forums over there and all the sudden I was getting 404's with the title saying something about development stopped that I kinda ignored. Eventually I realized hmm maybe I should reload the front page and definately was surprised. I hope everything works out.
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Old 22nd August 2002, 20:16   #5  |  Link
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Whahooo what a shock !!!

It's a sad day for Xvid and all the free software addict.

I really hope it won't turn bad, finger cross....

Gonna ask for some source code ..........
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Old 22nd August 2002, 20:49   #6  |  Link
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Here's what I emailed them:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Please provide to me at your earliest convenience a copy of the source code for your derivative of the XviD codec, the Sigma Designs’ REALmagic® MPEG-4 Video Codec. I wish to exercise my right to change the free software, as stipulated in the GNU General Public License which Sigma Designs’ accepted by distributing and/or modifying the XviD Program or works based on it.

I thank you for your time and consideration,

and then my name.
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Old 22nd August 2002, 21:01   #7  |  Link
aharden
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Submitted to Slashdot

I submitted a blurb about this to Slashdot and they accepted it. It should be published there soon. There are plenty of GPL-loving Slashdot readers that are sure to make noise about this.
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Old 22nd August 2002, 21:04   #8  |  Link
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http://slashdot.org/articles/02/08/2....shtml?tid=117 :>

good work!
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Old 22nd August 2002, 21:12   #9  |  Link
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grhh...

Just to make it easier for everyone to email, here's the web site with all email addresses of Sigma

http://www.sigmadesigns.com/contact.htm
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Old 22nd August 2002, 21:15   #10  |  Link
aharden
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Quote:
Originally posted by cofferscuffs
http://slashdot.org/articles/02/08/2....shtml?tid=117 :>

good work!

I'm just glad it didn't get rejected!
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Old 22nd August 2002, 21:16   #11  |  Link
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w**kers! can they be sued? what is the legal implication of breaking the license agreement?
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Old 22nd August 2002, 21:17   #12  |  Link
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I spoke to a manager at Sigma Designs over the phone a couple weeks ago, and he basically verified the accusation - a programmer "mistakenly" based their MPEG-4 codec around XviD, added a few patches, changed the interface (but not by much), then released it as their own. We were informed that they were replacing all GPL'ed code with their own, to avoid a licensing problem (even though copyright infringement had already occurred, of course).

After that, version 1.1 came out, which was a complete slap in the face. Supposedly "rewritten", it was nothing but a different checkout of XviD with a few registers changed and some code reordered.

Should be an interesting few days.

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Old 22nd August 2002, 21:23   #13  |  Link
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if i ever get their source code im gonna release my own codec!... wait that would be a double violation of the gpl then!
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Old 22nd August 2002, 21:32   #14  |  Link
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Ouch... This really pisses me off... But, at least, it tells us something: The effort that is put in XVID development by non-profiting persons (I won't mention anyone since they are too many) is appreciated and obviously valuable since they're stealing the code!

I just wish that everyone contributing to XVID has the strength to go on and that the Sigma guys get what they deserve.!.

If nothing else, there is a lot of us that *knows* who wrote what!
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Old 22nd August 2002, 21:39   #15  |  Link
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Quote:
Originally posted by Swede
If nothing else, there is a lot of us that *knows* who wrote what!
Absolutely! I believe, many people from all over the world know that...

Last edited by iago; 22nd August 2002 at 21:53.
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Old 22nd August 2002, 21:44   #16  |  Link
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Quote:
Originally posted by MaTTeR
grhh...

Just to make it easier for everyone to email, here's the web site with all email addresses of Sigma

http://www.sigmadesigns.com/contact.htm
This one could also be good: RMP4@sdesigns.com

http://www.sigmadesigns.com/products...eo_encoder.htm
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Old 22nd August 2002, 21:45   #17  |  Link
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Actually this is frustrating, enfuriating, depressing and expected.

I'm kind of afraid that Sigma will pull a Microsoft and sue the XviD development team for stealing their code

Under normal conditions in computer software world, only major corporations are able to sue minor ones for abstract "crimes" they didn't even commit ("You can't make a program that shows images understandable to humans! We have a patent on that! We also have patented Fourier transform! You can't use it!"). Never the vice versa.

I'm hoping at least FSF will take some actions or else the whole GPL license will be ridiculed. If Sigma can get away with this, any GPL'd code is basically a free breakfast for software corporations ever after.

Sigma will get some serious heat however, at least from me
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Old 22nd August 2002, 21:46   #18  |  Link
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o.k.

go out and make NOISE. generate large amounts of data related to this issue where ever you go.






by the way does anyone have a good connection to the press, e.g. the german c't?


just mailed them to their general news submission address

i suggest you do similar things. lokk for informational multipliers, forum with possible costumers of sigma and inform sigma about your actions.
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Last edited by kilg0r3; 22nd August 2002 at 21:52.
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Old 22nd August 2002, 21:50   #19  |  Link
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I hope the xvid guys are sure of what they are doing.

Now, if Sigma does release the sourcecode, then they are precluded by GPL from licensing patents for their own use. So they have only two undesireable choices if they wish to (alledgedly) continue using xvid code:
- continue violating GPL, or
- open-source their codec under GPL but infringe MPEG-4 patents.

Someone once told me that they have amazing lawyers who helped them avoid paying a penny of patent royalties for their MPEG-2 products. [if anyone knows more about this, please reply here or on /.]

Interesting stuff!
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Old 22nd August 2002, 21:56   #20  |  Link
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Someone once told me that they have amazing lawyers who helped them avoid paying a penny of patent royalties for their MPEG-2 products. [if anyone knows more about this, please reply here or on /.]

I doubt they do for MPEG-4 either - I seem to recall someone noted that in their end-user-license-agreement, there are a few lines detailing:

"Note that blah implements a number of algorithms that have been patented. If you plan to use this software, you must contact the MPEG-LA and purchase a license to use said patented algorithms."

So I doubt they're paying a cent of royalties on their software, unless the EULA has changed.

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