X-Git-Url: https://git.sesse.net/?a=blobdiff_plain;f=LICENSE;h=b98b5d38ec91ebdbbc778adf71fb270c53e8cc63;hb=0b9a915dad98844bd915f85a6463f2fa7b8d9cf0;hp=1607742b0c35f838c6b9d390a2f9f161ae8431ae;hpb=18b0c39f99eee508107c47345494e535b8757434;p=ffmpeg

diff --git a/LICENSE b/LICENSE
index 1607742b0c3..b98b5d38ec9 100644
--- a/LICENSE
+++ b/LICENSE
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 FFmpeg:
--------
 
 Most files in FFmpeg are under the GNU Lesser General Public License version 2.1
 or later (LGPL v2.1+). Read the file COPYING.LGPLv2.1 for details. Some other
@@ -51,18 +50,32 @@ for you. Read the file COPYING.LGPLv3 or, if you have enabled GPL parts,
 COPYING.GPLv3 to learn the exact legal terms that apply in this case.
 
 
-external libraries:
--------------------
+external libraries
+==================
 
-Some external libraries, e.g. libx264, are under GPL and can be used in
-conjunction with FFmpeg. They require --enable-gpl to be passed to configure
-as well.
+FFmpeg can be combined with a number of external libraries, which sometimes
+affect the licensing of binaries resulting from the combination.
 
-The OpenCORE external libraries are under the Apache License 2.0. That license
-is incompatible with the LGPL v2.1 and the GPL v2, but not with version 3 of
-those licenses. So to combine the OpenCORE libraries with FFmpeg, the license
-version needs to be upgraded by passing --enable-version3 to configure.
+compatible libraries
+--------------------
 
-The nonfree external libraries libfaac and libaacplus can be hooked up in FFmpeg.
-You need to pass --enable-nonfree to configure to enable it. Employ this option
-with care as FFmpeg then becomes nonfree and unredistributable.
+The libcdio, libx264, libxavs and libxvid libraries are under GPL. When
+combining them with FFmpeg, FFmpeg needs to be licensed as GPL as well by
+passing --enable-gpl to configure.
+
+The OpenCORE and VisualOn libraries are under the Apache License 2.0. That
+license is incompatible with the LGPL v2.1 and the GPL v2, but not with
+version 3 of those licenses. So to combine these libraries with FFmpeg, the
+license version needs to be upgraded by passing --enable-version3 to configure.
+
+incompatible libraries
+----------------------
+
+The Fraunhofer AAC library, FAAC and aacplus are under licenses which
+are incompatible with the GPLv2 and v3. We do not know for certain if their
+licenses are compatible with the LGPL.
+If you wish to enable these libraries, pass --enable-nonfree to configure.
+But note that if you enable any of these libraries the resulting binary will
+be under a complex license mix that is more restrictive than the LGPL and that
+may result in additional obligations. It is possible that these
+restrictions cause the resulting binary to be unredistributeable.