Document license under which audioop is used

[brettcannon]

BPO	2716
Nosy	@akuchling, @birkenfeld, @terryjreedy, @vstinner, @benjaminp, @VanL, @furkanonder
PRs	bpo-2716: add license for audioop module #19972

^{Note: these values reflect the state of the issue at the time it was migrated and might not reflect the current state.}

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GitHub fields:

assignee = None
closed_at = None
created_at = <Date 2008-04-29.00:22:49.758>
labels = ['3.8', '3.7', 'library', '3.9', 'docs']
title = 'Document license under which audioop is used'
updated_at = <Date 2020-05-07.00:56:43.829>
user = 'https://github.com/brettcannon'

bugs.python.org fields:

activity = <Date 2020-05-07.00:56:43.829>
actor = 'terry.reedy'
assignee = 'docs@python'
closed = False
closed_date = None
closer = None
components = ['Documentation', 'Library (Lib)']
creation = <Date 2008-04-29.00:22:49.758>
creator = 'brett.cannon'
dependencies = []
files = []
hgrepos = []
issue_num = 2716
keywords = ['patch']
message_count = 9.0
messages = ['65948', '65952', '66023', '105618', '112507', '170115', '217675', '241760', '368316']
nosy_count = 9.0
nosy_names = ['akuchling', 'georg.brandl', 'terry.reedy', 'vstinner', 'benjamin.peterson', 'vanl', 'docs@python', 'hac.man', 'furkanonder']
pr_nums = ['19972']
priority = 'normal'
resolution = None
stage = 'patch review'
status = 'open'
superseder = None
type = None
url = 'https://bugs.python.org/issue2716'
versions = ['Python 3.7', 'Python 3.8', 'Python 3.9']

Linked PRs

• [3.12] gh-46968: Fix invalid reference to Sound eXchange (SoX) 12.17.7 license #115094
• [3.11] gh-46968: Fix invalid reference to Sound eXchange (SoX) 12.17.7 license (GH-115094) #115095
• [3.10] gh-46968: Fix invalid reference to Sound eXchange (SoX) 12.17.7 license (GH-115094) #115096

[brettcannon]

The audioop module contains a comment that is somewhat troubling from an
IP standpoint:

/* Code shamelessly stolen from sox, 12.17.7, g711.c
** (c) Craig Reese, Joe Campbell and Jeff Poskanzer 1989 */

Because of this it would be best to remove the current module and re-
implement it from scratch (or remove it entirely).

[benjaminp]

I would support removing this in Py3k. It seems like a specialty module
not worth having in the standard library. Also, is this even being
maintained?

[birkenfeld]

It is, as most "old" standard modules, not actively maintained, but
there is always the chance that somebody will fix bugs as they are
reported :)

Anyway, the algorithms in it won't change, and if you want its removal I
predict there will be many people crying out.

[vstinner]

I found severe bugs (which may lead to security vulnerabilities) in audioop: bpo-7673. Nobody fixed these errors (but my issue contains a patch).

[birkenfeld]

Current status: no lawsuit yet.

[hacman]

The license from http://sox.sourcearchive.com/documentation/12.17.7/g711_8c-source.html

/*
 * This source code is a product of Sun Microsystems, Inc. and is provided
 * for unrestricted use.  Users may copy or modify this source code without
 * charge.
 *
 * SUN SOURCE CODE IS PROVIDED AS IS WITH NO WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND INCLUDING
 * THE WARRANTIES OF DESIGN, MERCHANTIBILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
 * PURPOSE, OR ARISING FROM A COURSE OF DEALING, USAGE OR TRADE PRACTICE.
 *
 * Sun source code is provided with no support and without any obligation on
 * the part of Sun Microsystems, Inc. to assist in its use, correction,
 * modification or enhancement.
 *
 * SUN MICROSYSTEMS, INC. SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY WITH RESPECT TO THE
 * INFRINGEMENT OF COPYRIGHTS, TRADE SECRETS OR ANY PATENTS BY THIS SOFTWARE
 * OR ANY PART THEREOF.
 *
 * In no event will Sun Microsystems, Inc. be liable for any lost revenue
 * or profits or other special, indirect and consequential damages, even if
 * Sun has been advised of the possibility of such damages.
 *
 * Sun Microsystems, Inc.
 * 2550 Garcia Avenue
 * Mountain View, California  94043
 */

That seems compatible with Python's licensing, no? It seems like adding this license text to the file and also to the documentation in http://docs.python.org/license.html#licenses-and-acknowledgements-for-incorporated-software would make this a non-issue. Assessment of the module's contents and whether it should be rewritten or removed seems like a separate issue.

I could write up a patch if people think that this would solve the problem.

[terryjreedy]

Audioop was not removed in 3.x; the security bugs have been fixed; and no lawsuit. I agree with Aaron about modifying 2 files. I would also change 'shamelessly stolen' to 'taken'. IP is no longer something to joke about.

[akuchling]

Van: what do you think? I can prepare a patch for Aaron's suggested changes.

[furkanonder]

PR has been sent.

[brettcannon]

• main: bpo-2716: add license for audioop module #19972
• 3.11: [3.11] bpo-2716: add license for audioop module (GH-19972) #98531
• 3.10: [3.10] bpo-2716: add license for audioop module (GH-19972) #98532

[ambv]

This library is removed from Python 3.13. However, the currently used license file in 3.10 - 3.12 is invalid and should be replaced.

Analysis by Aaron K. Williamson advises us to revert to the Sun Microsystems license text as present in g771.c found in the tarball of sox 12.17.7.

Full context from Aaron

April 11, 2022: Van comments on the commit saying the license "does not match the declared license from the source file (GPL, or possible LGPL later)," "looks incorrect," and that the correct license "would significantly affect the licensing of Python overall." It's clear from Van's comment that the "source file" he's referring to is the one at the URL in the commit: https://sourceforge.net/projects/sox/files/sox/12.17.7/. If you download the binary (.zip) distribution of the SoX project from that URL, the only declared license is the GPL. According to Van's comment, he was unable to access the "sourcearchive on bpo" because the link was down. So he looked at the source URL identified in the commit and concluded the license was GPL. If he had looked at the other download (the tar.gz) at that SourceForge URL, he would have found the source code for SoX v. 12.17.7. And in that source code distribution, the file g711.c is licensed under the Sun Microsystems license included in the initial commit (which is fully compatible with the PSF License).

July 30, 2022: furkanonder makes another commit replacing the Sun Microsystems license header with the current license header (beginning "Programming the AdLib/Sound Blaster FM Music Chips Version 2.0").

October 3, 2022: furkanonder responds to Van's comment, saying "I have added the license in the source you mentioned." It is unclear why furkanonder thought he was doing what Van asked. The license he added appears to be from a short webpage about programming the Sound Blaster: http://www.shipbrook.net/jeff/sb.html. The license text is not found in the source archive Van linked to -- the license for g711.c in that source archive is the same Sun Microsystems license that was included in the initial commit. Maybe it was just copypasta, but the license in master is not the correct license.

In conclusion: just revert the file header to the Sun Microsystems license in the initial commit and everything will be fixed.

[ambv]

Order restored to 3.10 - 3.12.