LAME
From MediaCoderWiki
application used to encode audio into the MP3 file format. The name LAME is a recursive acronym for LAME Ain't an MP3 Encoder, reflecting LAME's early history when it was not yet a complete encoder in itself.
As of 2004, consensus amongst the audiophile community is that LAME produces the highest-quality MP3 files for bitrates greater or equal to 128 kbit/s when using variable bitrate encoding; in a public listening test early in 2004, LAME MP3 files were the best 128 kbit/s MP3 files compared to the uncompressed original audio when using VBR mode.
History and development
At one time, LAME was simply a set of patches against the separately distributed ISO demonstration source, hence the claim that it "ain't an encoder". The ISO code had a restrictive license but was available without charge.
In May 2000, the LAME project reimplemented the last of the ISO source code, and thus LAME was then a totally new implementation — compiling recent versions of LAME no longer requires the ISO source code.
As recent LAME releases are no longer a patch against ISO encoder code, LAME is now itself an MP3 encoder and the LAME acronym has become a misnomer.
Legal issues
Like most (if not all) MP3 encoders, LAME may contain technology covered by patents owned by the Fraunhofer Society. The developers of LAME do not currently license the technology described by these patents from Fraunhofer. Distributing compiled binaries of LAME, its libraries, or programs which are derivative works of LAME in countries who recognize software patents such as the United States, may be considered infringing on the relevant patents held by Fraunhofer.
The LAME developers state that since their code is only released in source form, it should only be considered as a description of an MP3 encoder, and thus does not infringe any patent by itself when released as source code only. At the same time, they advise obtaining a patent license for any relevant technologies that LAME may infringe upon before including a compiled version of the encoder into a product. It is worth noting that this view has not been tested by a court and may not provide any real protection to users or developers.
In November, 2005 there were reports that the Extended Copy Protection software included on some SONY Compact Discs includes portions of the LAME library without complying with the terms of the LGPL.
