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ASIAIR and opensource software licences

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Replied by Thomas Stibor on topic ASIAIR and opensource software licences

There exists a website of the FSF with more information and contacts regarding GPL violations:
gpl-violations.org/ and even a wikipedia page linking also to the website:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gpl-violations.org
1 year 2 months ago #90025

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Replied by Bill Nash on topic ASIAIR and opensource software licences

GPL violations are an interesting bit, and legally, you need 'standing' in order to file a suit in the courts to compel or otherwise sanction violators. Today, any owner of the libs in question can shoot ZWO an email and let them know they're in violation and their rights to distribute/include the libs in their product are thusly terminated, which would force ZWO to comply or otherwise retool, against the threat of legal action.

Alternatively, the GPL/LGPL both contain language stating that the license to redistribute is automatically terminated if the license is violated. Demonstrating the violation, as I have here, is probably sufficient evidence for a third party, such as the Google and Apple app stores, to find on their own that ZWO is in violation of their respective developer agreements, as each agreement requires the developer to have legal and valid distribution rights for anything in the app. I think I've effectively shown here that is not the case, not just for indilib, but also potentially for code lifted from Siril and a few others. User complaints in the app stores to bring this to their attention are an option, and the app stores can then act on their own, to protect themselves from liability. Given that ZWO has ignored user requests to comply, for well over a year now, that's probably the only other thing that would get ZWO to honor their obligations to the community and developers that they're effectively stealing from. Asking vendors carrying the ASIair to stop selling it until they comply is also an option. ZWO clearly has ignored the users, but they won't ignore the channels they need to continue profiting from their malfeasance.

The whole thing really undermines anything ZWO has done to get more people into the hobby and community, in my opinion. Moving forward, if they want to fix this, they should retool their tablet app to function against a stock INDI server in the same manner that Kstars+EKOS does, so it uses the indilib appropriately, and allows for interoperation with devices from other manufacturers, which they can then say are completely unsupported, your mileage may vary, and still allow folks with the ability to support their own drivers and hardware to do so. That would be using open source code in the same spirit that they've benefited from, instead of pulling up the ladder behind them.
Last edit: 1 year 2 months ago by Bill Nash.
1 year 2 months ago #90031

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Replied by Bill Nash on topic ASIAIR and opensource software licences

Cracking open the 2.1.48 beta released this weekend..
billn@Hadriel:~/Downloads/ASIAIR_2.1.48/assets/patch$ tar -xvf air_pi4.out
update_package.sh
deb/
deb/libopencv-calib3d3.2_3.2.0+dfsg-6_armhf.deb
deb/indi_stargo-y_armhf.deb
deb/libcdio-paranoia2_10.2+0.94+2-4_armhf.deb
deb/libsdl2-2.0-0_2.0.9+dfsg1-1+rpt1_armhf.deb
deb/libcdio-cdda2_10.2+0.94+2-4_armhf.deb
deb/libfuse2_2.9.9-1_armhf.deb
deb/exfat-fuse_1.3.0-1_armhf.deb
deb/asiair_armhf.deb
deb/python3-ephem_3.7.6.0-7+b1_armhf.deb
deb/ffmpeg_7%3a4.1.4-1+rpt1~deb10u1_armhf.deb
deb/libntfs-3g883_2017.3.23AR.3-3_armhf.deb
deb/indi-y_armhf.deb
deb/nginx_1.11.8_armhf.deb
deb/libopencv-flann3.2_3.2.0+dfsg-6_armhf.deb
deb/indi_starbook-y_armhf.deb
deb/libgphoto2-6_2.5.30-1_armhf.deb
deb/indi_eqmod-y_armhf.deb
deb/libavdevice58_7%3a4.1.4-1+rpt1~deb10u1_armhf.deb
deb/librockchip-mpp1_1.5.0-1_armhf.deb
deb/libgphoto2-port12-2.5.30-1_armhf.deb
deb/libopencv-video3.2_3.2.0+dfsg-6_armhf.deb
deb/libopencv-ml3.2_3.2.0+dfsg-6_armhf.deb
deb/ntfs-3g_2017.3.23AR.3-3_armhf.deb
deb/fuse_2.9.9-1_armhf.deb
deb/libxss1_1%3a1.2.3-1_armhf.deb
deb/libopencv-features2d3.2_3.2.0+dfsg-6_armhf.deb
others/
others/boot-mini.img
others/pro-smb.conf
others/plus-smb.conf
others/dwc2.ko
others/fw_bcm43456c5_ag.7.45.96.125.20220120.bin
others/AP6256_NVRAM_V1.4_06112021.txt
others/xhci-pci.ko

Dependency changes since last version:
deb/libgphoto2-6_2.5.27-1_armhf.deb
deb/libgphoto2-port12-2.5.27-1_armhf.deb

Cracking open the update:
billn@Hadriel:~/Downloads/ASIAIR_2.1.48/assets/patch/deb/asiair_armhf$ tar -xvf data.tar
./
./etc/
./etc/default/
./etc/default/dnsmasq
./etc/default/hostapd
./home/
./home/pi/
./home/pi/ASIAIR/
./home/pi/ASIAIR/asiair.sh
./home/pi/ASIAIR/bin/
./home/pi/ASIAIR/bin/Soft03Cmt.txt
./home/pi/ASIAIR/bin/auto_shutdown.sh
./home/pi/ASIAIR/bin/comets.py
./home/pi/ASIAIR/bin/common.sh
./home/pi/ASIAIR/bin/mount_udisk.sh
./home/pi/ASIAIR/bin/network.sh
./home/pi/ASIAIR/bin/old_log_mv.sh
./home/pi/ASIAIR/bin/planet.py
./home/pi/ASIAIR/bin/read_power_cm4.sh
./home/pi/ASIAIR/bin/read_power_mini.sh
./home/pi/ASIAIR/bin/read_power_rk.sh
./home/pi/ASIAIR/bin/run_update_pack.sh
./home/pi/ASIAIR/bin/set_timezone.sh
./home/pi/ASIAIR/bin/start_INDI.sh
./home/pi/ASIAIR/bin/zwoair_ap_led.sh
./home/pi/ASIAIR/bin/zwoair_daemon.sh
./home/pi/ASIAIR/bin/zwoair_guider
./home/pi/ASIAIR/bin/zwoair_imager
./home/pi/ASIAIR/bin/zwoair_updater
./home/pi/ASIAIR/config
./home/pi/ASIAIR/lib/
./home/pi/ASIAIR/lib/libASICamera2.so
./home/pi/ASIAIR/lib/libEAFFocuser.so
./home/pi/ASIAIR/lib/libEFWFilter.so
./usr/
./usr/bin/
./usr/bin/plot-constellations_my
./usr/bin/solve-field_my
./usr/bin/zwo_deleteStarsTool

Usual suspects, guider, imager, updater. zwo_deleteStarsTool is a Siril derivative.

solve-field_my is a modified astrometry.net solve-field.
billn@Hadriel:~/Downloads/ASIAIR_2.1.48/assets/patch/deb/asiair_armhf$ strings usr/bin/solve-field_my  | grep astrometry
astrometry-engine
For details, visit http://astrometry.net.
https://github.com/dstndstn/astrometry.net
use this config file for the "astrometry-engine" program
run astrometry-engine once, rather than once per input file
just write the augmented xylist files; don't run astrometry-engine.
Visit us on the web at http://astrometry.net/
../include/astrometry

plot-constellations_my is, as well:
billn@Hadriel:~/Downloads/ASIAIR_2.1.48/assets/patch/deb/asiair_armhf$ strings usr/bin/plot-constellations_my | grep -i astrometry
This program is part of the Astrometry.net suite.
For details, visit http://astrometry.net.
https://github.com/dstndstn/astrometry.net
../include/astrometry

The astrometry license started as BSD, but is GPL3 'tainted', so all GPL3 terms apply:
"NOTE: Parts of the code written by the Astrometry.net Team are
licensed under the 3-clause BSD-style license below. HOWEVER, since
this code uses libraries licensed under the GNU GPL (including a
vendored GSL), the whole work must be distributed under the GPL
version 3 or later."

libindi version is still 1.7.8-22, so changes this round are likely purely in the base asiair package, to go with the libgphoto2 update, expanding camera support for some Sony bodies.

Still no source code included with the update. My last emails with ZWO, I was assured that their CEO would be in touch with me, 'within the week', two weeks ago. I've had a lovely conversation with myself in the interim.
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1 year 2 months ago #90515

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Replied by Bill Nash on topic ASIAIR and opensource software licences

I went digging through the imager binary, looking for the strings that identify supported camera bodies, and ran across something fun.
gp_camera_new error: %s
gp_abilities_list_new failed (%d): %s
gp_abilities_list_load failed (%d): %s
gp_abilities_list_lookup_model failed (%d): %s
gp_abilities_list_get_abilities (%d): %s
gp_port_info_list_new (%d): %s
gp_port_info_list_load (%d): %s
gp_port_info_list_count (%d): %s
The port you specified ('%s') can not be found. Please specify one of the ports found by 'gphoto2 --list-ports' and make sure the spelling is correct (i.e. with prefix 'serial:' or 'usb:').
gp_port_info_list_get_info (%d): %s
gp_camera_init error: %s

It appears that whole items from the libgphoto2/examples directory (github.com/gphoto/libgphoto2/blob/master/examples/autodetect.c) are included in the zwoair_imager binary. That code is LGPL-2.1, which taints zwo's whole imager with the same license requirements (github.com/gphoto/libgphoto2/blob/master/COPYING):
"These requirements apply to the modified work as a whole. If
identifiable sections of that work are not derived from the Library,
and can be reasonably considered independent and separate works in
themselves, then this License, and its terms, do not apply to those
sections when you distribute them as separate works. But when you
distribute the same sections as part of a whole which is a work based
on the Library, the distribution of the whole must be on the terms of
this License, whose permissions for other licensees extend to the
entire whole, and thus to each and every part regardless of who wrote
it."

Whoops.
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1 year 2 months ago #90517

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Replied by Bill Nash on topic ASIAIR and opensource software licences

Well, looks like my nagging has shown some progress:

github.com/ZWODevTeam/indilib

The owner finally responded to my Facebook DMs, we're now having a conversation about the other covered code I found.

Edit: The repo is woefully incomplete. It's a 1.7.5 fork, but the running binaries are 1.7.8, with 22 releases worth of revisions not reflected here.
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Last edit: 1 year 1 month ago by Bill Nash.
1 year 1 month ago #90782

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Replied by Bill Nash on topic ASIAIR and opensource software licences 

billn@Hadriel:~/Downloads/ASIAIR_V2.1/assets/patch/deb/asiair_armhf/home/pi/ASIAIR/bin$ strings zwoair_imager | egrep '[a-z]\(\)' | more
operator()
total() == 0 || data != NULL
operator()
in get_array_subtractor(): %d
ERROR in weigthed_frame_average: divide_accumulator() fails
ERROR in weigthed_frame_average: accumulate_weighted() fails
get_maximal_connected_component() fails
original aixs calculated by function getAxis():azalt (%lf,%lf)
LibRaw::unpack()
jpeg_thumb()
layer_thumb()
ppm_thumb()
android_tight_load_raw()
android_loose_load_raw()
vc5_dng_load_raw_placeholder()
canon_600_load_raw()
fuji_compressed_load_raw()
fuji_14bit_load_raw()
canon_load_raw()
lossless_jpeg_load_raw()
canon_sraw_load_raw()
crxLoadRaw()
lossless_dng_load_raw()
packed_dng_load_raw()
pentax_load_raw()
nikon_load_raw()
nikon_coolscan_load_raw()
nikon_load_sraw()
nikon_load_yuv_load_raw()
rollei_load_raw()
phase_one_load_raw()
phase_one_load_raw_c()
hasselblad_load_raw()
leaf_hdr_load_raw()
unpacked_load_raw()
unpacked_load_raw_reversed()
sinar_4shot_load_raw()
imacon_full_load_raw()
hasselblad_full_load_raw()
packed_load_raw()
broadcom_load_raw()
nokia_load_raw()
panasonic_load_raw()
panasonicC6_load_raw()
panasonicC7_load_raw()
olympus_load_raw()
minolta_rd175_load_raw()
quicktake_100_load_raw()
kodak_radc_load_raw()
kodak_jpeg_load_raw()
lossy_dng_load_raw()
kodak_dc120_load_raw()
eight_bit_load_raw()
kodak_yrgb_load_raw()
kodak_262_load_raw()
kodak_65000_load_raw()
kodak_ycbcr_load_raw()
kodak_rgb_load_raw()
sony_load_raw()
sony_arw_load_raw()
sony_arw2_load_raw()
sony_arq_load_raw()
samsung_load_raw()
samsung2_load_raw()
samsung3_load_raw()
smal_v6_load_raw()
smal_v9_load_raw()
x3f_load_raw()
pentax_4shot_load_raw()
deflate_dng_load_raw()
uncompressed_fp_dng_load_raw()
nikon_load_striped_packed_raw()
nikon_load_padded_packed_raw()
nikon_14bit_load_raw()

These functions come from: github.com/LibRaw
LibRaw is LGPL-2.1/CDDL-1.0, both of which require source disclosure.

In this output, when you see function names in this format 'name()', it's a "statically linked" library, which means the source is included in the binary at compile time.

Conversely, a dynamically linked library inclusion would look like this, the name of the DLL and then a list of exposed functions.
libASICamera2.so
libusb_handle_events_timeout
ASIGetROIFormat
ASIStartExposure
ASIGetNumOfConnectedCameras
libusb_exit
ASIGetStartPos
ASISetControlValue
ASICloseCamera
ASIStartVideoCapture
ASIInitCamera
__pthread_key_create
ASIOpenCamera
ASIGetSDKVersion
ASIGetCameraProperty
ASIGetCameraPropertyByID
libusb_get_device_descriptor
ASIGetControlCaps
_Z13ASISetMemSavei8ASI_BOOL
ASIStopExposure
_Z13ASIIsExposingiR8ASI_BOOL
ASIGetVideoData
_Z21ASIGetCameraLocalPathiPPc
libusb_get_bus_number
ASISetStartPos
libusb_init
ASIGetDataAfterExp
ASIGetLMHGainOffset
ASIGetControlValue
ASISetROIFormat
ASIGetExpStatus
_ITM_deregisterTMCloneTable
ASIGetNumOfControls
ASICameraCheck
__gmon_start__
_ITM_registerTMCloneTable

From what I've seen rooting around in here, this binary is both statically and dynamically linked, and even has shell calls embedded in it. It's a mess.

This was an interesting find:
dcraw v9.26
%04d:%02d:%02d %02d:%02d:%02d
12435867
# EXPTIME=%0.5f
# TIMESTAMP=%d
# ISOSPEED=%d
# APERTURE=%0.1f
# FOCALLEN=%0.1f
# MAKE=%s
# MODEL=%s
WIDTH %d
HEIGHT %d
DEPTH %d
MAXVAL %d
TUPLTYPE %s
ENDHDR
WIDTH %d
HEIGHT %d
DEPTH %d
MAXVAL %d
TUPLTYPE %s
ENDHDR
# EXPTIME=%0.5f
# TIMESTAMP=%d
# ISOSPEED=%d
# APERTURE=%0.1f
# FOCALLEN=%0.1f
# MAKE=%s
# MODEL=%s
%d %d
%d %d
write_ppm_thumb()
ppm16_thumb()
%d %d
rollei_thumb()

The dcraw library (github.com/ncruces/dcraw/blob/master/LICENSE) is GPL-2.0. If the other LGPL code in this binary wasn't enough, this is game over, the GPL license is far stricter about source disclosure.
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1 year 1 month ago #90945

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Replied by Bill Nash on topic ASIAIR and opensource software licences 

billn@Hadriel:~/Downloads/ASIAIR_V2.1/assets/patch/deb/asiair_armhf/home/pi/ASIAIR/bin$ strings zwoair_imager | grep ^lib.*.so
libASICamera2.so
libEFWFilter.so

From www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2....en.html#FSWithNFLibs:
'If you do this, your program won't be fully usable in a free environment. If your program depends on a nonfree library to do a certain job, it cannot do that job in the Free World. If it depends on a nonfree library to run at all, it cannot be part of a free operating system such as GNU; it is entirely off limits to the Free World.
So please consider: can you find a way to get the job done without using this library? Can you write a free replacement for that library?

If the program is already written using the nonfree library, perhaps it is too late to change the decision. You may as well release the program as it stands, rather than not release it. But please mention in the README that the need for the nonfree library is a drawback, and suggest the task of changing the program so that it does the same job without the nonfree library. Please suggest that anyone who thinks of doing substantial further work on the program first free it from dependence on the nonfree library.

Note that there may also be legal issues with combining certain nonfree libraries with GPL-covered Free Software. Please see the question on GPL software with GPL-incompatible libraries for more information.'

'If a library is released under the GPL (not the LGPL), does that mean that any program which uses it has to be under the GPL?
Yes, because the program actually links to the library. As such, the terms of the GPL apply to the entire combination. The software modules that link with the library may be under various GPL compatible licenses, but the work as a whole must be licensed under the GPL.'

Ouch.
1 year 1 month ago #90949

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Replied by Bill Nash on topic ASIAIR and opensource software licences

Well, I guess ZWO is getting tired of my shit.
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1 year 4 weeks ago #91382
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Replied by Bill Nash on topic ASIAIR and opensource software licences

ZWO posted a response on their Facebook page, which I can't find anymore after a few people commented, linking my last Reddit post, which links back to this one.

Their response:
'ASIAIR and Open Source Software Licensing

We would like to formally respond to a few recent social media posts regarding allegations against ZWO regarding our noncompliance with open-source licensing terms.

ASIAIR is an intelligent wireless controller developed by ZWO, designed for astrophotography. With ASIAIR, users can easily create stunning astro images without the burden of a large computer or laptop and utilize the power of their mobile device. ASIAIR has significantly changed the astro-imaging world, making the hobby even more accessible to newcomers and creating a robust and feature-rich tool for beginners and experts alike. We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved for the community with our ASIAIR product range.

ASIAIR's operating system is based on the Linux platform, utilizing its open-source model and relying on open-source software components during its development. We strictly follow open-source protocols for the open-source software and libraries used by ASIAIR. Our teams regularly publish open-source development of the relevant software and libraries involved. (github.com/ZWODevTeam/indilib, github.com/ZWODevTeam/Astrometry.net).

Any reported software development, bugs, or defects related to software licensing would be quickly rectified in a subsequent release to ensure our continued compliance. We also invite any software author who believes we may have infringed on their open-source licensing terms to contact us. We would be honored to listen to your thoughts and have deeper communication on any concerns you may have.

As many of our loyal customers know, the development of ASIAIR began in 2018, and many of our team have continued to invest in its evolution over the past five years. As a result, it offers an unparalleled user experience and is a prevalent choice for astro-imagers of all levels of experience.

We are committed to providing users with the best astrophotography experience. We thank our customers for their continued support and trust.

We hope to dispel rumors regarding open-source agreements while protecting our intellectual property and business interests. ASIAIR is a registered trademark, and ZWO retains all rights over ASIAIR's software and hardware products.

Suzhou ZWO Co., Ltd. April 8, 2023'

They emailed me this morning as well, attached.
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Last edit: 1 year 1 week ago by Bill Nash.
1 year 1 week ago #91798
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Replied by Chris Kuethe on topic ASIAIR and opensource software licences

Their post is at m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbi...2721&mibextid=Nif5oz

It's rubbish like this that makes me happy to pay money for stellarmate which doesn't try to lock me in.

Thanks for your work on this. [
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1 year 1 week ago #91800
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Replied by gehelem on topic ASIAIR and opensource software licences

Bill for your information, a little followup on my favourite french forum
www.webastro.net/forums/topic/194650-cou...e/6/#comment-2961996

thank you for your persistence
G.
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1 year 6 days ago #91927

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Replied by Bill Nash on topic ASIAIR and opensource software licences

Thanks for sharing that, my grasp of French remains fleeting, but Google translate got me through it well enough. A number of people have reached out to me privately with ZWO's dirty laundry, and I'm at a crossroads as what to do next. I've done enough to thoroughly expose the problem, ZWO themselves did a better job of shining light on the problem than I did, frankly. The two basic responses were mostly a mix of "Doesn't matter, my stuff works" and "Hey, that's bad." One dude called me a Karen.

So now it's just waiting to see what happens next. They've got 9 days, at the time of this writing, before the 30 day clock runs out on one lib author's notice to get correct or he'd revoke their license. They published some source but not everything, by a long shot, so it'll be up to his opinion on their effort as to what happens after that. I never set out to be ZWO's nemesis here, I just them to honor their obligations and maybe, you know, actually give something back to the community instead of slowly poisoning the well with what I feel are anti-competitive tactics, leveraging code they don't have distribution rights to. As one of the folks in that forum pointed out, my options to compel them are limited, the people with power here are lib owners like Jasem. The only other stick I have to wield is politely asking retailers not to carry the product until they get correct.

I'll wait for the next update to the ASIair to drop, and see what they changed, if anything, and how their public repo reflects it.
1 year 6 days ago #91930

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