Apparently Sony’s rootkit DRM software contains a statically linked version of the lame mp3 decoder. Lame is licensed under the LGPL license, which would typically only allow this sort of reuse if the application using lame would also be released under LGPL, or Sony bought a non-LGPL license from the authors of lame.
It’s highly unlikely Sony did either.
So here we have a company trying to protect their products from being pirated using pirated software. Oh the irony!
-TPP
Actually, the problem is that the library is statically linked; if it was dynamically linked, the LGPL would be OK with it.
Also, it’s Live 4 Internet, which created the rootkit, which is guilty of violating the LGPL, not Sony.
“Actually, the problem is that the library is statically linked”
Well, yes. That’s why I said that in my blog post.
“…Live 4 Internet…”
No, it’s not. It’s First4Internet, but since it’s Sony who is actually selling merchandise with the pirated software, it’s Sony who is liable. Sony might have a claim against First4Internet though.