[FFmpeg-trac] #5814(ffmpeg:new): License violation - Synology NAS products
FFmpeg
trac at avcodec.org
Wed Aug 31 13:52:50 EEST 2016
#5814: License violation - Synology NAS products
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Reporter: patters | Type: license
Status: new | violation
Component: ffmpeg | Priority: normal
Keywords: Synology | Version:
infringement violation | unspecified
Blocking: | Blocked By:
Analyzed by developer: 0 | Reproduced by developer: 0
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
I would like to report a violation of the GPL terms for FFmpeg. Synology
(http://www.synology.com) manufactures Network Attached Storage devices
based on the Linux operating system.
The company provides some outdated downloads of the open source software
used in their many products at
https://sourceforge.net/projects/dsgpl/files/Synology%20NAS%20GPL%20Source/
Synology ships their products with a Linux distribution called DSM (Disk
Station Manager) which incorporates FFmpeg. FFmpeg is also used in several
of Synology's own optional software packages such as Video Station, and
Media Server. The company had used FFmpeg 2.0.2 for DSM version 5.2 but it
has switched to FFmpeg 2.7.1 in DSM 6.0. Furthermore, Synology uses
heavily modified versions of FFmpeg to enable the hardware encoding and
decoding features of some of its dedicated hardware products - so called
media transcoding NAS models (e.g. Intel Evansport SoC). Despite this
heavy reliance on FFmpeg to sell its products as media-ready, Synology has
not published source code since 2015. Source code to DSM 6.0 software
components (first published in public beta in October 2015) has been
withheld.
The GPL download page lists DSM 5.2 version "5564 branch" dated December
2015 (itself a lagged release) as the latest available source code for
download, but this is eight months older than the latest major release
"8451 branch". Since DSM 6.0 was a major new OS release, many of the FOSS
components included in this Linux distribution were updated including
FFmpeg. Package developers like me are entitled to access to this source
code now, not 8 months later while Synology tries to obfuscate its
software improvements from its commercial competitors. Synology chose to
build on FOSS, so they must comply with the terms.
I raised a support request with Synology in April 2016, asking for the DSM
6.0 source code tarball and was given a brush-off - with them having the
nerve to comment that there is no stipulation for ''when'' the sources
must be published, and that they would be published at some later
unspecified time.
Synology is making money off the hard work of the FFmpeg developers
without abiding by the GPL licence obligations, which is unethical,
unfair, and illegal. Please can you investigate.
More info here https://forum.synology.com/enu/viewtopic.php?f=223&t=120535
...including the exact wording of the brush-off I was given by Synology
support.
As you can see from that forum thread, people have attempted to complain
about other violations (e.g. Samba). Since repeated legitimate requests
for compliance have gone unheeded, I think that a public shaming of the
company on the main FFmpeg website would be appropriate.
Thank you
--
Ticket URL: <https://trac.ffmpeg.org/ticket/5814>
FFmpeg <https://ffmpeg.org>
FFmpeg issue tracker
More information about the FFmpeg-trac
mailing list