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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'."

3 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. 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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  3. 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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