Bug#395252: ignore bug 395252 'mplayer embeds ffmpeg' for lenny

[Fabian Greffrath]

Reinhard Tartler schrieb:
> Since mplayer includes an exact copy of ffmpeg by using an 'svn:external'
> on the ffmpeg svn, it makes sense to build shared library packages out
> of that source. [...]

Well, sorry Reinhard, but building such a complex set of libraries 
from the source code which is embedded in a (kind of) random 
application sounds rathers insane to me. You know how tricky it can be 
to package the ffmpeg libs even from a clean dedicted tarball.

I suggest two different measures instead, but I fear they will be 
ignored upstream once again:

(1) Ffmpeg should finally decide about a stable API, or at least one 
that is stable for more than two weeks. Releases will also be highly 
appreciated. If (for whatever reason) formal releases are impossible, 
at least define something like 'milestones', meaning: "If you want to 
package a rather recent version of ffmpeg, use SVN export of 2008xxyy, 
since it has proven to compile well and includes only few 
regressions". I don't know if the news section on the ffmpeg homepage 
is supposed to provide such recommendation or if it is only for plain 
information.

(2) Mplayer developers, how about building against the *public* ffmpeg 
API, so that distributors can link your application against the 
libraries without being forced to make use of the embedded code that 
you ship? I mean, this isn't a Debian specific issue and you're 
calling your current tarball a Release Candidate...


A Mennucc:
> You do not see the many emails I sent to ffmpeg-free mantainers,
> almost all of them went unanswered (but for one).  I can provide you a
> complete list, if you wish.

Have you sent those via private mail? To be honest, I've never read an 
attempt of yours to improve the ffmpeg situation on the pkg-multimedia 
mailing list. I have to admit that I am in the ffmpeg team for only a 
few weeks now, but I am subscribed to the pkg-multimedia list as long 
as it exists.

Cheers,
Fabian


-- 
Dipl.-Phys. Fabian Greffrath

Ruhr-Universität Bochum
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