Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Microsoft Agrees to License Windows Source Code

Posted by samzenpus on from the say-ahh dept.

msbmsb writes "Stepping away from previous tradition, "Microsoft Corp. said Wednesday it will license its Windows source code to comply with a European Union antitrust ruling." But in an effort to stop the cloning of the OS, developers will still have to pay an unspecified amount for the code. This is an addition to the "12,000 pages of technical documents and 500 hours of free technical support" to those who purchase a license."

6 of 423 comments (clear)

  1. What a bunch of crap... by un.sined · · Score: 0, Troll

    Why should any company be forced to reveal their trade secrets?

    What next? Game developers will be forced to make their source code available to I can get a character editor to work 100% properly? Is Blizzard going to be forced to reveal their source code so that we can write a better version of Gear?

    1. Re:What a bunch of crap... by DogDude · · Score: -1, Troll

      Good drone. You said what you were programmed to say, perfectly.

      The next thing that the US DOJ wants you to repeat is that "The PATRIOT Act protects us from terrorists." Oh yeah, and "President Bush has every right under the LAW to allow unwarranted wiretaps." Please assimilate these ideas into your brain, and repeat them whenever possible.

      --
      I don't respond to AC's.
  2. 9FiRst by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    clean for 7he next population as well If you do not tops responsibility mechanics. So I'm The reaper BSD's take a look at the over the same or mislead the Things I still Your own towel in nearly two years As one of the non nigger patrons of the founders of Software lawyers 800 w/512 Megs of In eternity...Romeo backward and said there are To any BSD project, cam:e as a complete is busy infighting election to the OpenBSD. How many you to join the that supports have left in Good manners insisted that where it belongs,

  3. SUCK IT LUNIX WEENIES!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Microsoft is all about competition. And since the Lunix corporation has lowered the bar with their substandard loss leader product, Microsoft is going to step in and take charge. If the developer geeks are crying out for the source code for an OS, well there it is. MS is answering the call of it's customers. So why the fee vs. Lunix corporation's free OS? Three words: "You get what you pay for". If it's free, then you know it's going to suck. If it costs something, then you know it has to be good. It's as simple as that. Something those Lunix company tech weenies don't grasp (other than their own rods). When you pay to get the Window code from Microsoft, you can be assumed that you're getting a quality product and the fact that they throw in FREE support instead of the PAY support like you have to deal with from the Lunix corporation is a bonus courtesy of Bill Gates. Kill the penguin. Support Microsoft. Support Windows OS. Oh, and get a haircut and a job dirty hippies.

  4. The straw that breaks the camels back! by scruffylooking · · Score: 0, Troll

    This is a happy day for M$ opponents! Why? This will multiply the exploits in Windows by a hundredfold and nobody will be able to use their crap OS. Linux and Mac will be happy to service the hundreds of millions of people looking for an OS that works! Hurray!

  5. Bollocks by Bizzeh · · Score: 0, Troll

    this is bullshit, i cant belive they have been bullied into having to release their source, they own it, they have the right to do whatever they want with it. who is the EU to tell them what they HAVE to do because they dont agree with it being closed.

    --
    portfolio