We have 8 guests and 0 members online
Get x404 in your RSS reader
x404
iOS VLC fails after all
Monday, 07 March 2011 04:18 | 
Written by forquare1 | 
| 
| 
Back in November a mobile version of VLC was released for the iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch. Many people cheered as the open source media player graced their iOS device. Though some people didn't...
Rémi Denis-Courmont, one of the original contributors to the VLC project, objected to a GPL'd project being available on the Apple App Store and what restrictions Apple forced upon it.
On 9th January Rémi posted on his blog "On January 7th, I was told by an Apple attorney that VLC media player had been removed from the App Store. That is how I was able to break the news first. However as can be expected from an attoryney, there was not really any explanation."
Applidium, the iOS VLC developers, received a letter from Apple stating that they were sorry the dispute couldn't be resolved, see Rémi for details...
So there we have it, the VLC has gone from the App Store...It has yet to be deleted from my iPhone, but I can be sure there will be no updates in the future.
Another triumph for the consumer friendly GPL!
Discuss this on our forums [9 replies]
replies
by rustybucket
Tuesday, 08 March 2011 17:30
Not really very accurate there, Ben.
More like another case of Apple axing something from the App store with no reason. The developer claims that even he does not know why Apple removed VLC.
Quote:
Another triumph for the consumer friendly GPL!
More like another case of Apple axing something from the App store with no reason. The developer claims that even he does not know why Apple removed VLC.
Quote:
First, even I do not know for certain why Apple removed VLC, and Apple will probably never state the truth.
Second, Apple has already removed VLC from the "old" Mac Store for computers... already about 4 years ago, at a time when VLC was one of the most popular applications, and I am yet to learn the reasons why.
Third, Apple received my copyright notification more than 2 months before they pulled the application. This was not expedited, as the US copyright law would require. As such, it seems dubious that my well-publicized notification from last october is the root cause of the removal. It is nevertheless the reason why I was learnt directly from Apple that VLC was removed.
Last, Apple had the power and plenty of time (2 months) to adjust and clarifiy the terms of the App Store. Indeed, said terms were modified several times since then. Alternatively, Apple could even have continued to carry VLC implicitly distributed under the GPL by Applidium. This is effectively what I believe the situation was before the removal.
All in all, we will probably never know the truth. But I am inclined to believe what Eben Moglen, from the Software Freedom Law Center, foretold me 2 months ago: Apple would remove VLC simply because it cannot stand software distributed under the GPL on its stores.
Second, Apple has already removed VLC from the "old" Mac Store for computers... already about 4 years ago, at a time when VLC was one of the most popular applications, and I am yet to learn the reasons why.
Third, Apple received my copyright notification more than 2 months before they pulled the application. This was not expedited, as the US copyright law would require. As such, it seems dubious that my well-publicized notification from last october is the root cause of the removal. It is nevertheless the reason why I was learnt directly from Apple that VLC was removed.
Last, Apple had the power and plenty of time (2 months) to adjust and clarifiy the terms of the App Store. Indeed, said terms were modified several times since then. Alternatively, Apple could even have continued to carry VLC implicitly distributed under the GPL by Applidium. This is effectively what I believe the situation was before the removal.
All in all, we will probably never know the truth. But I am inclined to believe what Eben Moglen, from the Software Freedom Law Center, foretold me 2 months ago: Apple would remove VLC simply because it cannot stand software distributed under the GPL on its stores.
by forquare1
Tuesday, 08 March 2011 18:37
"rustybucket" wrote:
More like another case of Apple axing something from the App store with no reason. The developer claims that even he does not know why Apple removed VLC.
From http://applidium.com/en/news/apple_pull ... e_appstore
Quote:
“We regret that the dispute regarding your application named ‘VLC Media Player’ could not be resolved amicably between the parties. We have removed your application from the App Store. For any questions relating to this matter, please contact Rémi Denis-Courmont directly.”
by big_d
Sunday, 13 March 2011 16:59
The FSF are in dispute with Apple and pull all GPLed code from the store, because Apple applies their own licence over and above the GPL.FSF say, until Apple comply with the GPL and do not try and restrict the rights of the recipient, against those laid out by the GPL:
The App Store licence strictly prohibits the further distribution and applied further restrictions, which goes against the GPL:
http://www.fsf.org/blogs/licensing/more ... nforcement
Quote:
Each time you redistribute the Program (or any work based on the Program), the recipient automatically receives a license from the original licensor to copy, distribute or modify the Program subject to these terms and conditions. You may not impose any further restrictions on the recipients' exercise of the rights granted herein.
The App Store licence strictly prohibits the further distribution and applied further restrictions, which goes against the GPL:
Quote:
You acknowledge that Products contain security technology that limits your usage of Products to the following applicable Usage Rules, and, whether or not Products are limited by security technology, you agree to use Products in compliance with the applicable Usage Rules.
http://www.fsf.org/blogs/licensing/more ... nforcement
Monday, 14 March 2011 07:49
on this one i make the FSF right and Apple wrong ...
by forquare1
Monday, 14 March 2011 09:47
I don't think Apple is wrong, they've done what the FSF wanted. But if the software had been licensed under a more permissive license, this wouldn't have happened.
by jonbwfc
Monday, 14 March 2011 11:54
"forquare1" wrote:
I don't think Apple is wrong, they've done what the FSF wanted. But if the software had been licensed under a more permissive license, this wouldn't have happened.
The two are both valid but they are simply incompatible. It doesn't make one 'wrong' and one 'right' (unless you're a dogmatic idiot) it just means that you can't (legally) publish a piece of software that conforms to both at the same time. Either through omission or intent, a piece of software did make it through and when Apple was asked to remove it because of the incompatibility, they did.
This all seems entirely reasonable to me. Crowbarring it into some great political statement about the 'rights and wrongs of free vs paid for software seems the worst sort of polemic and not at all grounded in reality.
Jon
Tuesday, 15 March 2011 09:24
there is nothing within the FSF that limits distribution of OS software
if Apple apply anything else then that is an Apple problem, not FSF or OSS ...
if Apple apply anything else then that is an Apple problem, not FSF or OSS ...
by jonbwfc
Tuesday, 15 March 2011 13:34
"MrStevenRogers" wrote:
there is nothing within the FSF that limits distribution of OS software
All Apple have done in this case is in good faith accept a piece of software that was presented to them, then remove it when it was pointed out to them that doing so breached certain other licenses the code was subject to. Exactly what else should they have done at any point? If VLC wasn't under some form of 'free' - but actually highly restrictive - licensing, publishing it on the iStore would be fine. If the iStore didn't have licensing, the VLC license would still hold but it would be fine to publish. Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
The idea that this is all 'Apple's fault' and that the FSF/VLC coders are somehow completely beyond reproach is the worse sort of freetard nonsense.
Jon
by forquare1
Tuesday, 15 March 2011 13:43
"jonbwfc" wrote:
The idea that this is all 'Apple's fault' and that the FSF/VLC coders are somehow completely beyond reproach is the worse sort of freetard nonsense.
+1
Login to reply
Last Updated (Tuesday, 08 March 2011 14:43)
