Microsoft Reduces Shared Source Licenses

UltimaGuy writes to tell us eWeek is reporting that Microsoft will be reducing the number of licenses that it will use for its Shared Source Initiative. Instead of more than 10 different licenses they are aiming for just three core licenses. The first license format, Ms-PL (Microsoft Permissive License), is similar to the BSD license while the second, Ms-CL (Microsoft Community License), is based on the Mozilla Public License. The third format, Ms-RL (Microsoft Reference License), "has no open-source alternative and is a reference-only license that allows licensees to view source code in order to gain a deeper understanding of the inner workings of Microsoft technology."

Comments

MRL = warfare

[MetalliQaZ]

Sounds like the so called "Microsoft Reference License" is merely a way to show source code to people, let them write software that iteroperates with or replaces some microsoft software, and then to sue them for breach of license.

MS: you copied our code, you were only allowed to look at it, not copy it.
Dev: I didn't copy your code.
MS: we released it under MRL, you must have looked at it and copied it, even though you werent allowed to
Dev: I made every effort to develop my project in a "clean room" environment
MS: thats impossible, our code is out there under MRL, you can't expect us to take your word for it
Dev: actually I do
MS: tell that to our lawyers

-d