VLC Removed From App Store, DRM & GNU Troubles To Blame

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The will-they-won’t-they saga of the VLC  media player’s iOS App Store existence is about to get another “will they” added to the pile, as Apple are taking it down from the App Store after all, but this time in a surprise twist, at one of the the authors’ request. Wait, what? Well, apparently Rémi Denis-Courmont feels that the GNU license the VLC is released under sort of clashes with Apple’s DRM, prompting the withdrawal request.

This move hasn’t gained him any goodwill, as was to be expected, as the prevailing argument is along the lines that the source code could have been made available in a number of ways if that was indeed the issue and denying people legitimate access to the app goes much further against the spirit of the GNU license than merely accepting some itty bitty non-intrusive DRM.