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RE: Comments to draft-ietf-pkix-logotypes-05.txt
At 6:33 PM +0200 9/22/02, David Maurus wrote:
*** 4th paragraph on page 9: Unfortunate use of patent-encumbered formats
'Implementations that support audio MUST support the MP3 audio
format (with a MIME type of "audio/mpeg").'
I would propose to make MP3 optional, and make OGG VORBIS
("audio/x-vorbis") a MUST
It is really likely that the IESG (or at least IANA) will strenuously
object to an "x-" mediatype. They should.
=> Selling any software capable of playing this extension would be
subject to mp3 licensing terms, i.e. would require obtaining a
license from Thomson.
The fact that we know that there are intellectual property issues
with the MP3 format doesn't mean that we *don't* know that there are
intellectual property issues with OGG.
=> While currently, Thomson does not charge licensing fees for
*freely* distributed player software, this might change in the
future. This would make it illegal to use free / Open Source
software supporting the logo extension without having a license from
Thomson.
We have no proof that the same won't happen to OGG.
=> Selling hardware (Personal Trusted Devices?) playing
logotype-audio would be commercially unattractive
<aside>Many people on this mailing list would say that is a good thing</aside>
Ogg Vorbis is considered patent free, offers better quality than mp3
according to recent studies, and is available in numerous free
implementations and as source code with a BSD style license.
"considered patent free" is a bad phrase to use in the IETF,
particularly in the PKIX WG.
The audio format debate has been raging for years in the VPIM working
group. If you really want to make a change to this, go spend some
time in their archives and then suggest an acceptable type. In the
meantime, MP3 is a common format with a wide variety of encoders and
decoders available, some of them freely.
--Paul Hoffman, Director
--Internet Mail Consortium