[$] OpenH264 induces headaches for Fedora
Software patents and workarounds for them are, once again, causing headaches for open-source projects and users. This time around, Fedora users have been vulnerable to a serious flaw in the OpenH264 library for months—not for want of a fix, but because of the Rube Goldberg machine methodology of distributing the library to Fedora users. The software is open source under a two-clause BSD license; the RPMs are built and signed by Fedora, but the final product is distributed by Cisco, so the company can pick up the tab for license fees. Unfortunately, a breakdown in the process of handing RPMs to Cisco for distribution has left Fedora users vulnerable, and inaction on Fedora's part has left users unaware that they are at risk.