Winamp released its Legacy Player source code on GitHub, but it isn’t fully open source
The iconic media player Winamp has released its complete source code on GitHub, fulfilling a promise made in May 2024.. The release includes build tools and associated libraries specifically for the Windows application, allowing developers to contribute bug fixes and new features.
However, it is important to note that the restrictive licensing terms under the Winamp Collaborative License (WCL) Version 1.0.1 impose severe limitations, including the prohibition of distributing modified versions (forks) in both source and binary forms, which makes it not really fully open source. As a result, the release has faced criticism from the community, as they cannot create enhanced or “classic” versions from this release, which many users had hoped for.
Winamp has released its source code on GitHub, but restrictive licensing under the Winamp Collaborative License (WCL) limits modifications and distribution, drawing community criticism. Despite this, the repository has gained significant interest
- Audio Player
- Free • Proprietary
Related news
External links
- Winamp's Thread on X@winamp on X • Official source
- Winamp Legacy PlayerWinamp • Official source
- Winamp publishes its source code, with a twistAdafruit Industries
- Winamp releases source code, asks for help modernizing the playerBleepingComputer
- Winamp releases its source code on GitHub — but the legacy media player doesn't go full open-sourceTom's Hardware
Comments
Isn't that what they did basically... openwashing?
I totally understand that Winamp authors want to protect the respectable Llama brand, and prevent using the license to get a bunch of half-baked copies flooding the web. Firefox also protects the Firefox brand with forbidding redistributing forks of Firefox using official Firefox icons, name and anything associated with Mozilla. But, when the license pretends to be copyleft, i.e. allowing to run, study and redistribute an modified version without limitation, but then only allow to "modify the software for private use only", that prove that no lawyer has been involved to write this license. It's very close to some of the new "open but not for commercial use" licenses that basically don't give enough freedom to be "open". Now, this may change. Well, this have to change.
They just want free support from the community without any freedom of use of their code. This should not be called open source even if the code is public on GitHub !
The main issue with the licence restrictions is the inability to fork it means nobody can even contribute to the official repo. The licence has been changed but people still have issues. Speaking of issues . . . "dumpster fire" comes to mind since people are now asking for things like Doom and Quake to be merged with winamp.