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Microsoft Opens Code Just Slightly More

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the if-you're-a-king-you-can-see-part-of-it dept.

ctar writes "This story on Bloomberg.com details Microsoft's new program to open the source to parts of Windows in order to compete with Linux, especially in the government sector. Microsoft's spokesman is making these announcements directly: They say governments involved will be invited to Redmond to meet w/ security engineers, and view testing procedures. Countries will also be able to incorporate their own encryption schemes 'based on Microsoft's software'."

5 of 317 comments (clear)

  1. I can't see how this is good by The+Bungi · · Score: 5, Informative
    While I would personally love to see some of the Windows code (I'd kill for a peek at the COM+ marshaling engine) I can't see how this is going to help anyone. it's not like you can find a bug and recompile the kernel, and I've always had a bit of reservation against providing Microsoft with solutions to problems in their own products. The MTS/IIS4 timeframe left me pretty much soured on that whole thing.

    Still, if they're going to open up stuff I'd say let me look at IIS, MSMQ, WMI, COM+ and all that other middleware that I tend to hit a lot more... looking at the kernel would be an educational trip - but only that. Not really useful per se.

  2. "Open Source" vs. "Free Software" by gnujoshua · · Score: 4, Informative

    I think this is a good reason why the term "Open Source" can be extremely misleading. Next thing you know, we will have an "open source" version of windows 2004---however, the license agreement restricts anyone from incorporating their source code into non-microsoft programs, and they will sue anyone who tries to. However, they can go ahead and call their software "open source," because they are making the source code available to the public.
    This is damaging! We must not group together "free software" programs with "open source" ones, for this very reason! The more we call "Linux" Open Source, the more we will be giving Microsoft free advertising for their "open source" programs that will surely be coming out in the future. Please call GPL'd and GPL compatible software "free" or "Libre" in the least, so that we can make clear distinctions between "open source" and the freedom that come's with GPL-like programs. Thank you.

    For a more clearly articulated argument see: http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-software-for-fr eedom.html

    1. Re:"Open Source" vs. "Free Software" by Arandir · · Score: 4, Informative

      I think this is a good reason why the term "Open Source" can be extremely misleading. Next thing you know, we will have an "open source" version of windows 2004

      I think this is a good reason why the term "free software" can be extremely misleading. Next then you know, we will have a "free software" version of Internet Explorer.

      p.s. The above is an example of sarcasm. If you are a regular Slashdot reader, the concept may be unfamiliar to you. I suggest a dictionary.

      p.p.s. Speaking of dictionaries, look up "free" while you're at it.

      p.p.p.s. Funny isn't it how download.com offers thousands of "free software" downloads of proprietary shareware?

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  3. Source code is just a bunch of words by Rogerborg · · Score: 5, Informative

    Until it's compiled. Not that I'm saying that Microsoft are a bunch of lying, cheating weasels. I don't have to say that, a couple of courts have done it for me.

    Given that, and given the "other arrangement" that the US gubmint has to access the source (note "the" source, not "some" source), I would have no confidence that anything shown to me by Microsoft - in a Microsoft lab, controlled by them, not available for tinkering or compiling - actually represented the source used to build the version of Windows that I was deploying across my home nation of Elbonia.

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  4. Re:Something to Think About by technix4beos · · Score: 5, Informative
    Here is the relevant link as reported by CNet:
    http://news.com.com/2100-1001-966219.html?tag=rn

    Here is Microsoft's SEC Filing:
    http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/789019/0001 03221002001614/d10q.htm

    Quite easy to find:
    http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=02/11/17/203722 3&mode=nested&tid=109

    By the way, someone posted about Microsoft opening source code to India.. Slashdot had an earlier story here:
    http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=02/12/12/204625 5&mode=nested&tid=109

    Another slashdot article on the XBox losing money:
    http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=02/11/15/151923 4&mode=nested&tid=109

    Amazing what turns up when you do just a little bit of research. ;)

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