Re: [FFmpeg-devel] [RFC] STF 2025

[Cosmin Stejerean via ffmpeg-devel <ffmpeg-devel@ffmpeg.org>]

> On Jun 3, 2024, at 11:18 AM, Rémi Denis-Courmont <remi@remlab.net> wrote:
> 
> Le maanantaina 3. kesäkuuta 2024, 20.48.08 EEST Cosmin Stejerean via ffmpeg-
> devel a écrit :
>>>> What was cost-problematic about NAB? As far as I know it cost ffmpeg $0.
>>>> It would be hard for IBC to be less cost-problematic than that.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Booth setup is notoriously expensive due to local regulations. This was
>>> already mentioned on the list earlier, and no explanations were given how
>>> this would be funded.
>> 
>> The basic booth package that was donated includes a simple booth with a
>> table and two chairs. Thilo brought a banner and a table cloth. I donated a
>> power strip and a case of water for the people at the booth. That was the
>> extent of the booth setup, there were no costs.
> 
> This is news. Why was that plan not communicated when the question was raised 
> on this mailing list after the announcement of the NAB sponsorship?

I believe Thilo responded that there were no costs to ffmpeg back then.

> 
>>> Well in hindsight, based on what was reported by NAB attendees, I surmise
>>> that the setup wasn't done nor funded at all and the booth was FFmpeg in
>>> name only. (That sounds like embezzlement to me but that is not really
>>> our problem, I guess.)
>> 
>> What do you mean by setup wasn't done or funded and the booth was FFmpeg in
>> name only?
> 
> GPAC self reported on using the FFmpeg booth at NAB:
> https://x.com/JanetGrecoBP/status/1773342135514779700
> 
> Devin even reported on this very list that there were *only* GPAC people:
> https://ffmpeg.org//pipermail/ffmpeg-devel/2024-April/325765.html
> 
> If there were at least three of you, then why did you not reply to Devin back 
> then and why did you not arrange to keep at least one person on the booth 
> while the other went eating?

Thilo called Devin to discuss this later that day, I addressed it on IRC and I think it was addressed on the mailing list as well. 

Not sure why you keep beating this dead horse. Yes, there were limited times when none of the ffmpeg people happened to be at the booth, and it just so happened that was the only time Devin had to stop by.

The vast majority of the time there was at least one of Thilo and Ramiro at the booth and I helped to fill in when I could. To claim "it was an FFmpeg booth in name only" is an insult to the time that Thilo and Ramiro put into this. 

This is was a volunteer effort, you're welcome to volunteer for the IBC booth to increase the probability of there being an FFmpeg developer present at the booth at all times.


> 
>> An accusation of embezzlement sounds serious.
> 
> If as she herself alleged, Mrs Janet Greco used the FFmpeg booth for her or 
> her employer's commercial interest, then that is embezzlement by the 
> dictionary definition: the IBC booth funding that Thilo secured from the 
> anonymous sponsor for FFmpeg would instead have been used by those third 
> parties.

It was not "instead used by those parties". They shared space at the booth, a relatively common practice at NAB. 

For what it's worth I was also not aware that GPAC would be sharing space with ffmpeg at NAB, but it's orthogonal to whether there are any booth setup costs. 

GPAC's contribution was to also bring a banner to hang next to the ffmpeg one.

> 
> IANAL, so I won't comment if this meets the legal definition.

Then you might want to avoid throwing such accusations around.

- Cosmin
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