Microsoft Shared Source -- With a Twist

chill writes "Microsoft is now willing to share all the source code to WinCE that they don't license from others. This includes the rights to alter the code and sell the altered code! Of course, they want copies of the changes, but the program is FREE." There's another story at Windowsfordevices.com.

Comments

You know

[fizban]

It's April 10.

Microsoft, like usual, probably made a calculation error in their proprietary calculator software, shifted the digits and thought it was April 1.

Re:Profit

[Lxy]

Write new code, contribute it back to Microsoft (containing many, many destructive bugs)

Now that's a feat to behold.. sending code back to Microsoft in worse condition than when you recieved it!

Is anybody actually happy?

[goldcd]

MS releases their entire source to an OS - and you whine about it even more?

Re:...from others....

[DrPascal]

Actually ... it'd be more like:

#include "stdafx.h"

CDC dc;
CBrush blueBrush(RGB(0,0,255));
CBrush whiteBrush(RGB(255,255,255));
dc.CreateCompatible DC(NULL);
CBrush *oldbrush = dc.SelectObject(&blueBrush);

while(TRUE)
{ // Undocumented Win32 GDI function
dc.FillEntireGoddamnScreen(&blueBrush); // Undocumented Win32 GDI function
dc.MakeUpAndDrawScreenDump(&whiteBrush); // Used in core kernel RING0 code only
MakeHardDriveLightFlash();
}

Re:Good thing?

[CoolVibe]

No, it's just Microsoft reinventing open source all over again. Maybe in the distant future you'll see MS twisting itself in so much turns, it'll eventally settle at some BSD-like license.

(oh well.. a man can dream, can't he?)