Posted in Rants, Technology

VLC app finally killed off

Remember me talking about the VLC app and all it’s wonderful glory? Remember how I said we need to contact that guy to shut his trap? Well apparently that didn’t work, and Apple finally pulled the plug:

Image Credit: ObamaPacman.com

It seems after months of complaining, instead of working it out, Apple had to pull the app… Thanks a lot Rémi Denis-Courmont. If I ever see you, I am going to punch you in the face. Read what this guy posted on the site, he is such a prick:

“At last, Apple has removed VLC media player from its application store. Thus the incompatibility between the GNU General Public License and the AppStore terms of use is resolved – the hard way. I am not going to pity the owners of iDevices, and not even the MobileVLC developers who doubtless wasted a lot of their time. This end should not have come to a surprise to anyone.”

I am literally going to kick this guy square in the jewels if I ever find out who he is and where he lives. I cannot believe that he is on this high and mighty horse. I am glad that I heeded the warnings and still able to use this app, and I guess it will soon make it to Cydia, but in the mean time, I am getting a plane ticket and making a visit to this guy.

thanks a lot. douchebag.

UPDATE: read what this guy is saying over at Planet VideoLan, here’s an excerpt:

Why Apple Removed VLC from the App Store?

“I do not know for certain why Apple removed VLC, and Apple will probably never state the truth.”

“All in all, we will probably never know the truth”

BS.

via [ObamaPacman]

Vicious Nokia Employee Gets VLC Removed from Apple App Store

Saturday, January 8, 2011

By OP Editor

Nokia employee and VLC developer Rémi Denis-Courmont goes against mission of VideoLan, gets Apple to remove VLC for iOS from App Store using licensing technicality.

VLC iPad video player RIP

VLC Developer vs. App Store

Few months ago, VLC, the free video player from VideoLAN was released to the App Store. VLC for iPad, and later versions for iPhone and iPod touch, was ported to iOS by Applidium for free, and released for FREE. However, contributing developer and Nokia employee Rémi Denis-Courmont didn’t like it.

Remi argued that open-source GNU General Public License that is tied to VLC conflicts with the terms detailed in Apple’s own App Store licensing, and tried to remove the iOS VLC app based on copyright and licensing claims.

The issue is that Apple iOS Apps contain a standard DRM for security signing purposes. Remi ignores the fact that despite the DRM (there for security purposes), anyone with compatible iOS devices can use the VLC App. Apple also distributes the VLC app for free. Thus, Apple isn’t restricting distribution with the DRM. Not at all.

VideoLAN Mission

Note the VideoLAN mission: “VideoLAN is a project and a non-profit organization, composed of volunteers, developing and promoting free multimedia solutions.”

VideoLAN VLC mission

Apple Removes VLC From App Store on January 7, 2011

The Nokia employee did not attempt to achieve an amicable solution, instead he went straight to getting VLC removed from the Apple App Store. 2 months later, on January 7, Apple finally removed VLC for iOS.

“At last, Apple has removed VLC media player from its application store. Thus the incompatibility between the GNU General Public License and the AppStore terms of use is resolved – the hard way. I am not going to pity the owners of iDevices, and not even the MobileVLC developers who doubtless wasted a lot of their time. This end should not have come to a surprise to anyone.”