[FFmpeg-devel] [PATCH v2] avcodec/nvenc: Include NVENC SDK header

[Andreas Cadhalpun]

On 12.12.2015 11:35, Hendrik Leppkes wrote:
> On Sat, Dec 12, 2015 at 11:25 AM, Andreas Cadhalpun
> <andreas.cadhalpun at googlemail.com> wrote:
>> On 12.12.2015 10:50, Hendrik Leppkes wrote:
>>> We should just add an exception into the license to explicitly allow
>>> using it with the NVIDIA CUDA library and be done with this debate for
>>> ever.
>>
>> That would be an option.
>>
>>> You know that Open-Source has failed when the project itself is
>>> arguing days and days for including a feature on license reasons that
>>> any closed-source app would just write, enable and offer to its users
>>> without a second thought.
>>
>> Please try to take a step back.
>> The "nvenc" feature is already included in FFmpeg, just not enabled by
>> default.
>>
> 
> And not enabled on any distribution, hence 99% of all users don't see
> it or get to use it.

You can't blame distributors for following our license.

Anyway, I think your idea about a license exception would be a good solution.
We could add a special exception to nvenc.c, allowing its use with Nvidia's
blobs, something like [1]:

 In addition, as a special exception, the copyright holders give you
 permission to combine this code with free software programs or libraries
 that are released under the GNU LGPL and with code included in the standard
 release of the CUDA and NVENC libraries under the NVIDIA Software License
 (or modified versions of such code, with unchanged license).
 You may copy and distribute such a system following the terms of the GNU LGPL
 for this code and the licenses of the other code concerned.

 Note that people who make modified versions of this code are not obligated
 to grant this special exception for their modified versions; it is their
 choice whether to do so. The GNU Lesser General Public License gives
 permission to release a modified version without this exception; this
 exception also makes it possible to release a modified version which carries
 forward this exception.

Best regards,
Andreas


1: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#GPLIncompatibleLibs