I downloaded the source for Plex, but I can’t seem to find the source for the “Plex Server” component. Is the server source available?
I'm sorry, the source for the Plex Media Server is not currently available for download.
Is the availability of the source code for Plex Media Server to the public a matter of time or is it your intention to keep it closed source? It is an "interesting" choice since Plex is based on a number of open source components and even in your latest blog posting (http://elan.plexapp.com/2010/03/24/the-road-to-alexandria-part-1-introduction/), the term "Open" is bandied about.
For now it will be closed source. I don't know if this will change in the future.
I don't see how that's relavent. We toiled away writing the source code for the Media Server, so it's our right to choose what to do with it. We're fully complying with the licenses for any 3rd party source that is used in the Media Server, so I really don't see your point.
Open doesn't imply open source. Open implies that the data is stored and retrievable using open and free formats, and there are lots of "plug-in" points where people can add value and customize.
you can however view the source for the plugin framework (its all python inside framework.bundle), which is where most of the interesting stuff the media server does actually happens.
Please note that although the framework code is available inside Framework.bundle, it’s distributed under the same proprietary license as the media server.
I can understand wanting to be able to see the source code for the library so you can get in there and muck about and tweak it to your liking, BUT, I’ve seen far too many posts in these forums where people are complaining about price or worried about being charged for the library.
If this new library is as great as Elan’s blog post indicates, these guys have done a serious amount of work and they deserve to be paid handsomely for it. It sounds as though this new system could rival a Kaleidescape system (and, because of all of the online content, maybe even surpass it?). K’Scape starts at $20k, which includes enough storage for about 100 DVDs. This is, so far, free.
Personally, I’d rather pay for a license to support development so that at least a couple of the devs could start working on Plex full-time. Yes, there’s the donate button, but, that’s not a business model and donations are too random (and probably too light) to make payroll and pay rent.
My only concern about making Plex a paid app is access to IMDB metadata. Because Plex is a free app, I don’t believe they’re violating the IMDB’s Terms of Use. However, if it were to become a paid app, my understanding is that they could no longer scrape metadata from IMDB without violating the Terms of Use. The next step would be to license metadata from a source like AMG, but those licenses are extremely expensive.
Looking forward to the new library.
Brad
you will certainly be able to get in there and muck around and tweak it to your liking with alexandria. (and it will be 10,000 times easier to do so than the old library). it is designed to be flexible to the extreme, and is built around several new classes of python plugins, not to mention the [oh so cool] stuff I’m not supposed to talk about yet. i dont think anyone will find it lacking tweakability.
You seem rather defensive. No point implied or perceived. As a developer, its just not exactly obvious that parts of Plex are not open source unless you go digging and don't make assumptions about the use of the term "open" (causes more confusion than anything). Or, you might just land on this page which is downright misleading (I can feel a 'That is referrring to Plex, not the Plex Media Server' coming on...)
http://wiki.plexapp.com/index.php/Plex:About
Plex is an indie fork of the highly functional and successful XBMC to the Apple Macintosh OS X platform. Like XBMC, Plex is open source and licensed under the GPL.
You're absolutely right. The Plex client is based on GPL code. Any derivative works are, always will be, and indeed are obligated to be open-source under the terms of the GPL.
The Plex Media Server is separate, unrelated to XBMC code, and is closed source. However, the HTTP/XML interface into it is freely available for clients to implement. This is unlikely to change in the near future, however the team has no current plans to charge for the software, or restrict access to it.
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