[FFmpeg-trac] #5814(ffmpeg:new): License violation - Synology NAS products

[FFmpeg]

#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 The company provides some outdated downloads of the open source software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

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Ticket URL: <https://trac.ffmpeg.org/ticket/5814>
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