Grab your iOS version of VLC now... it may be gone soon

Agreed, the latest ipad VLC is completely worthless, the one before was great. I get between 4 and 12 minutes at a time and the only way to get it running again is to load another app in between. Anyone know how to roll back an app update on an ipad?

You can sell GPL licensed software! http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/selling.html

There was a VLC player in Cydia for a long time. It was called vlc4iphone, now its been renamed to openstreamer, which is kinda like AirVideo but it also has the ability to play local files on your iDevices as well. It supports all the same codecs as VLC & AirVideo.
Nice that VLC went native, but for jailbreakers, whether or not this app remains in the app store seems like a non issue.

When open source "licensing" goes horribly, horribly wrong.

Everyone get a brown paper bag and breath deeply.

Section 6(d) of the GPL v3 and 3(b?) of the GPL v2 provides the correct means to comply with the GPL while simultaneously releasing via the App store. There is no mention of 'object code' (binaries) distribution restrictions, only that the original machine readable source be made available.

This is all a lot of hooplah over nothing.

The GPLV2 license pertains to the SOURCE CODE of the program being available, modifiable, and freely distributable. And it is, at git.videolan.org.

GNU Go was pulled because it was one of the original authors (and founders of GNU, with a strong ideological bent) who complained.

It is not a requirement that every binary version in existence be freely copyable directly. If that were the case, TiVo would have been sued out of existence long ago, since they use Linux and other GPL'd software in their closed, void-warranty-if-opened boxes, but do provide source code on their web site.

Great quote that really sums the issue up (from centauratlas on MacRumors - http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1041129&page=2):

"If the GPL was really about freedom, this would not be an issue, instead the GPL is about imposing SOMEONE'S VIEW of freedom on everyone who uses their product - and that is their right since it is their product. But getting on a high horse about Apple controlling their software and platform is hypocritical at best when the GPL does the same thing. For example, the BSD license would not have this issue. Don't get me wrong, I like many things about the GPL. It is great that there are competing licenses, but when one says the GPL is about freedom, one is misleading."

Do these guys think this actually *helps* the "free software" cause?

I have to agree that the GPL (especially GPLv3) if actually more restrictive to consumers than almost any other license, including proprietary software.

I mean, some companies do HAVE to make money from software as it's their business, Adobe, Microsoft, Steam etc. If they had to give away all their software for free how could they be expected to pay their employees?

I'm sure plenty of people who work on GPL software go to work to get paid too. I wonder what would happen if they were asked to work for free......bet it wouldn't happen.

The source is available for people who want it and consumers, who are supposed to be the most important people after all, are benefiting from it being on the App Store. It would be bad PR for VLC to continue to pursue this. It seems like they are using this as an excuse to try and get Apple to change their policies. It's Apple's App Store so they make the rules. Very simple.

They would've known the rules when they submitted the application so there isn't much point complaining about it now. They chose to violate the GPL (if they did at all) so to try and blame Apple as they are doing on the VLC mailing list is very poor.

Still on topic, do we know if Android's app store complies with GPL as well? I assume it does.

From the GPL:
"10. Automatic Licensing of Downstream Recipients.

Each time you convey a covered work, the recipient automatically receives a license from the original licensors, to run, modify and propagate that work, subject to this License. You are not responsible for enforcing compliance by third parties with this License.

An “entity transaction” is a transaction transferring control of an organization, or substantially all assets of one, or subdividing an organization, or merging organizations. If propagation of a covered work results from an entity transaction, each party to that transaction who receives a copy of the work also receives whatever licenses to the work the party's predecessor in interest had or could give under the previous paragraph, plus a right to possession of the Corresponding Source of the work from the predecessor in interest, if the predecessor has it or can get it with reasonable efforts.

You may not impose any further restrictions on the exercise of the rights granted or affirmed under this License. For example, you may not impose a license fee, royalty, or other charge for exercise of rights granted under this License, and you may not initiate litigation (including a cross-claim or counterclaim in a lawsuit) alleging that any patent claim is infringed by making, using, selling, offering for sale, or importing the Program or any portion of it."

This wouls seem the VLC distributers are distributing their code to Apple, and it is Apples responsibility when redistributig it to make the code avaialble.

Maybe this is where it's falling down. Apple are not going to do this.