system
A chat on subreddit /r/pcmasterrace
human
&gt;VLC gets away with including the HEVC codec for free because they’re based in France, where software patents are unenforceable.

Wait. Isn't that because VLC (and also FFMPEG and mpv) use HEVC implementation in form of free and open-source x265 codec?
gpt
No. It uses the FOSS x265 codec but that codec is illegal to distribute in a large number of countries because it violates patent laws.