[LAU] VST and legal issues

[David Baron]

On Sunday 23 November 2008 15:08:51 Grammostola Rosea wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I don't get the licence issue of VST on linux completely, help me out
> with this.
>
>
> - Building Ardour, Qtractor, LMMS with VST-support is illegal, right?
Building is OK for your own use. You cannot distribute the versions to anyone 
else. The ardour build config program tells you this explicitly. I believ the 
qtractor and LMMS use the dssi-vst versions of the headers so do not need a 
copy of the VST SDK to build. See beloe.
>
> - And energyxt? Are they allowed to use VST technology?
I believe they pay for the privilege and you pay for their program.
>
> - Installing JOST and using it, is illegal right?
For your own use, I believe no problem.
>
> - And FST and vst-dssi?
For your own use. Recent vst-dssi have their own version of the header files 
which is hopefully legal and do not need Steinberg's. I am not sure of the 
real legal situation with this.
>
> - And wineasio?
For your own use. This utility is dynamite but it is not included in wine for 
the same reasons.
>
> - using VST plugins on Linux?
Steinberg likes for you to USE them. Want to roll your own and sell them? 
Steinberg wants their cut.
>
> - Installing Reaper on Linux?
Reaper on linux uses wine so installs and uses  wineasio. I assume they paid 
for the privilege of distributing a VST app and you pay for the pleasure of 
using reaper.

Generally, you need Steinberg's SDK to build VST enabled apps and plugins. You 
cannot distribute the SDK or the two header files that you actually need for 
Ardour, FST, etc. Anyone building these programs for VST must get their own 
copies of the SDK from Steinberg. They give this to you for personal use.

Fact is VST and ASIO have become de facto standards. Steinberg is surely happy 
about this and makes money from its own stuff and anyone commercially 
distributing applications using these standards. By allowing free download of 
their SDK and sources, they encourage the propagation of this standard.