"Only codecs developed from the ground up by free software groups like Xiph are completely patents free. Codecs which were closed and opened later like Theora (VP3) and VP8 have patents which were assigned to them originally, but which were "liberated" as open - i.e. granted royalty free usage. It's as if they don't exist for you for all practical purposes. Who told you that Dirac has no patents attached to it? It has them, and they are royalty free as in VP8 case:"

This is rubbish, even software developed in a clean room from the ground up can be found infringing on third party software patents regardless of who or how it is implemented.

The only answer is to abolish software patents entirely, once and for all, there is no half way house, no middle ground, they are just plain wrong.

You don't create a different printing press by making it print a different book.

You don't create a different computer by making it run a different program.

rgds