From Bugzilla Helper: User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; Konqueror/3; Linux) Description of problem: Click the eject button and choose a file (MP3). The track name doesn't appear in the playlist, and it doesn't play. Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable): 1.2.7-10 How reproducible: Always Steps to Reproduce: 1. Log on to Null as a user who had previously used xmms under Red Hat 7.3 but not since. 2. Load xmms 3. Attempt to play an MP3 Actual Results: Failed to load file Expected Results: File loads and starts playing Additional info: This occurs with xmms-1.2.7-10, which looks like it still includes an MP3 codec. I have not investigated applicability to other filetypes. Normal functionality can be restored by deleting the .xmms directory from the user's home folder, which might suggest some sort of incompatible change in one of the file formats used within it.
MP3 decoders have been removed from Red Hat Linux due to patent issues. The GPL license explicitly states that if any software patents apply to code which is GPL licensed, and the owner of the patent has not given royalty free unlimited redistribution rights for GPL usage, that the GPL license terms can not be met, and you cannot legally ship the software.