499485 - Sothink Video Downloader 5.2 violates the GPL and breaks FlashGot 1.9.4.4

Status: RESOLVED FIXED

(addons.mozilla.org Graveyard :: Administration, defect)

Description

[Giorgio Maone [:ma1]]

The closed sourced Sothink Video Downloader extension incorporates an older version of the FlashGot service verbatim (in violation of the GPL), overwriting the original service and therefore breaking newer FlashGot versions.

Since the breakage happened after the last FlashGot upgrade, which contained incompatible changes and couldn't rely on the "cloned" service, I received many complaints about "latest FlashGot version disappearing" and had a hard time tracing back the real issue.

http://forums.informaction.com/viewtopic.php?p=6378#p6378

Comment 1

[Dave Garrett]

Over to administration instead of blocklisting. Needs to be taken down first, and I don't know if it actually meets criteria for blocklisting.

Comment 2

[Gervase Markham [:gerv]]

The fact that a.m.o. still doesn't prominently display licensing terms for addons (at least, not that I can find) is a little tricky but I am assuming that Sothink does not come with GPLed source code. I can't see where to get it, anyway.

Giorgio: without doubting you in the slightest, it would help if you could post detailed instructions for verifying your claim. For example, something like:

1) Download the latest Sothink at <url>
2) Download archive version of Flashgot at <url>
3) Unzip both XPIs
4) Compare file <foo> from Flashgot to file <bar> from Sothink and see that they are the same
5) Note original file <foo> is GPLed

If the claim is proven, then the Sothink addon could be removed on the grounds of violating the AMO Developer Agreement, which states in part:

"You represent and warrant that: ... the AMO Contribution does not violate any applicable law, regulation or ordinance, nor infringe or misappropriate the rights of any third party."

Gerv

Comment 3

[:Gijs (he/him)]

(In reply to comment #2)
> The fact that a.m.o. still doesn't prominently display licensing terms for
> addons (at least, not that I can find) is a little tricky but I am assuming
> that Sothink does not come with GPLed source code. I can't see where to get it,
> anyway.

Actually, AMO does display licensing terms if the author specified them. (eg. https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/4453 , scroll down to "Source Code License" -- apologies for self-advertisement, that's what I can come up with quickly :-))

It may be difficult to detect licensing for an add-on automatically based on source code, due to the various ways in which licensing could be done (and because various files could be under various licenses, etc.). Anyway, that does not currently happen.

Comment 4

[Giorgio Maone [:ma1]]

Hrm, I've just checked the most recent version *currently* available from AMO and it's 5.1 (November 2008), which is clearly anterior to FlashGot 1.1.8 (March 2009), so this bug is probably invalid. I downloaded right now AMO's 5.1 and couldn't find JS components inside (binary only).

The one where I did find the offending component is actually 5.2 from http://www.sothinkmedia.com/web-video-downloader-firefox/download.htm

<SHELL>

# mkdir -p gpl/flashgot && curl -kL https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/downloads/file/48817/flashgot-1.1.8-fx+mz+tb+sm.xpi >gpl/flashgot/flashgot.xpi
# mkdir gpl/sothink && curl -kL http://www.sothinkmedia.com/download/wvdownloader_ff.xpi > gpl/sothink/sothink.xpi
# unzip gpl/flashgot/flashgot.xpi -d gpl/flashgot && unzip gpl/sothink/sothink.xpi -d gpl/sothink
# diff gpl/flashgot/components/flashgotService.js gpl/sothink/components/SWVDService.js

< /***** BEGIN LICENSE BLOCK *****
< 
<     FlashGot - a Firefox extension for external download managers integration
<     Copyright (C) 2004-2009 Giorgio Maone - [e-mail]
< 
<     This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
<     it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
<     the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
<     (at your option) any later version.
< 
<     This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
<     but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
<     MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
<     GNU General Public License for more details.
< 
<     You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
<     along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
<     Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
<                              
< ***** END LICENSE BLOCK *****/
< 
1436c1415
<                 description: '[metalink] http://www.metalinker.org/',
---
>                 description: '[metalink] ',
2562c2541
<             if (redirect == -1) redirect = this.fg.getPref("media.redirect", 0); // 0 - no redirect, 1 redirect, 2 include both initial and final url
---
>             if (redirect == -1) redirect = 1; // 0 - no redirect, 1 redirect, 2 include both initial and final url
3545c3524
<     this.getWindow().open("http://www.flashgot.net/dms","_blank");
---
>     //this.getWindow().open("http://www.flashgot.net/dms","_blank");

</SHELL>

Anyway I'd be curious to know whether 5.2 had been posted on AMO and then deleted after this issue hit Slashdot ?:/

Comment 5

[Dave Garrett]

Giorgio: Have you been able to contact Sothink about this?

Comment 6

[Giorgio Maone [:ma1]]

@Dave:
Yes, I filed the following complaint at http://www.sothinkmedia.com/support/tickets/ticket.php
<snip>
Web Video Downloader contains a copy of the FlashGot 1.1.8 service, and breaks recent FlashGot versions because it overrides them.
Since FlashGot is GPLed and your product is closed source, you're violating the GPL and also damaging FlashGot users by breaking the product.
Please remove any FlashGot-related component from your product or release it under the GPL as well, after modifying your version of the service so that it doesn't break the original if both are installed.
</snip>

Did not receive any answer yet, though.

Comment 7

[Rey Bango]

I've emailed the author of Sothink and asked them to respond to these issues here.

Comment 8

[Giorgio Maone [:ma1]]

Notice also that Sothink 5.2 breaks FlashGot 1.9.4.4 but not 1.9.4.6, which has been an "emergency" relased made on Saturday to work-around the breakage.

Comment 9

[Dave Garrett]

Was this an ugly/temporary work-around or a simple and permanent change? In other words, have you worked around this satisfactorily such that current and future versions are not at high risk of more breakage without a change on Sothink's end?

Comment 10

[Giorgio Maone [:ma1]]

@Dave Garret:

It's a very ugly hack: since FlashGot is not compatible with 1.1.8's service anymore, but Sothink instead is still compatible with latest FlashGot service version, on startup FlashGot moves Sothink's "clone" service out of its components directory before it has a chance to get registered overriding the original.

This way Sothink keeps working by leveraging on current FlashGot version, and FlashGot doesn't break because it can use the most up-to-date service.

On uninstall, FlashGot restores Sothink's clone so that user can keep using Sothink if he wishes to and does not any issue.

Ugly as it is, though, further breakage is quite unlikely.

Comment 11

[Giorgio Maone [:ma1]]

Just received their answer, and it's almost satisfactory:
<QUOTE>
Dear Giorgio Maone,

Thanks for your concern!

We would like to advise that Sothink Web Video Downloader for Firefox 5.3
build 90623 is released!
http://www.sothinkmedia.com/web-video-downloader-firefox/index.htm

Note: Sothink Web Video Downloader for Firefox software is licensed under The
GNU General Public License.

Great news: The source code of Sothink Web Video Downloader for Firefox is
open for our users!

How to get source code of this software?
http://www.sothinkmedia.com/web-video-downloader-firefox/download.htm

Please go to the following page to download the latest version of Sothink Web
Video Downloader for Firefox:
http://www.web-video-downloader.com/

How to Install Web Video Downloader for Firefox? Please check it here:
http://www.web-video-downloader.com/install.php

Here is the tutorial for you:
http://www.sothinkmedia.com/video-tutorial/video.php?v=5

If you have any question, please feel free to contact us.

Have a nice day!


************************************************************************
Any suggestions from yours are valuable for us to improve our software and
service.
Much appreciate your feedback!

Sincerely,

Sharon Lee

Customer Service
SourceTec Software Co., LTD
</QUOTE>

I downloaded and inspected 5.3: they're apparently GPL-compliant now.
The only open issue yet is that their obsolete FlashGot service copy is still overriding FlashGot's CTRID, but if I keep the aforementioned work-around in place for future FlashGot versions I think we can live with it.

Proposing to resolve as Fixed.

Comment 12

[Rey Bango]

Giorgio, if you're satisfied with their updates, then mark this bug as resolved please.

Comment 13

[Giorgio Maone [:ma1]]

Done, thank you all.