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Microsoft Launches First Shared Source Contest
An anonymous reader writes "Microsoft has launched its first-ever shared source programming contest. With several XBox 360's and an HDTV on the line, hackers will download 120-day trial versions of Windows CE and associated tools, and create 'cool, real-world' apps using designated shared source components. Judging criteria include originality, real-world practicality, feature-extension of the Shared Source components, project documentation, and a short video that demonstrates the successful operation of the project. The Grand Prize is a complete Xbox 360 dream setup consisting of the Xbox 360 console, a 34-inch HDTV, games, and accessories. Three other winners will be awarded Xbox 360 game consoles."
work for us without working for us
Give out development kits for the XBox 360. That would spur a lot more cool shared-source development.
They've invented the Summer of Code but without all that, you know... money
Who has the copyright of the applications?
-- (:> jms cs.vu.nl (_) --"---
This seems like another bad-copy of something Google is doing.
Google Summer of Code: practically any open source project, involving any components you choose, $4500
MS Summ3r 0f C0d3: their shared source project, involving components they choose, some electronics that don't pay rent or tuition.
Gee, what a deal.
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That a "Xbox 360 console, a 34-inch HDTV, games, and accessories" is closer to "okay (or even feh)" than a "dream setup"?
Seems that the prizes are kind of cheap. I'm pretty sure Microsoft will get some pretty decent code out of this (or, if not code, ideas), but is only going to give something away as a token gesture.
Just another step in the devauluation of programmers and IT folks, I guess.
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Despite comparisons to Google's Summer of Code (which is far more generous to the community on the whole) this is in fact a smart move for Microsoft. They get code on the cheap, and PR at the whole time.
If I ran a business like Microsoft, I'd be doing the same type of things.
http://blindscribblings.com - Tasty pop-culture in conceptual fashion.
rules
Donald 'Duck' Dunn: We had a band powerful enough to turn goat piss into gasoline.
All of this Microsoft opensource stuff is hollow.
How about they "share the source" to the Xbox 360 filesystem, or publish an SDK or Linux distribution, jees even evil Sony managed that?
How about not trying to patent the FAT filesystem, or opening up the specs to NTFS?
How about giving us the source to WGA, or stop crippling your free Visual Studio Express?
Yeah, make us create stuff to help sell or fix your products, but don't give anything back.
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odd that they would announce this the very day google announces the summer of code winners...
http://kered.org
Lordy lordy, it would take me YEARS of work at a regular job to afford these kind of luxury status symbols! But now Microsoft is giving me a one-in-a-million shot at joining the middle class -- and I might just be lucky!
No, seriously, I know.
But listen, while you're here, buddy *hic* what about FlexWiki? I'm talkin' about the honkin' big Microsoft open source Wiki project here. I mean, what I'm sayin' is... *hic* why's it so worthless? When it oughta have so many resources behind it, and when MS (and me, too) could really do with a wiki written in C# as opposed to PHP? Wouldn't ya think they could just take a few guys aside, give'em 6 months to come up with a good wiki? And yet here we are. Here we are, buddy. Bartender! Another glass of C# for my freind here! And go easy on the XML this time, huh?
Whence? Hence. Whither? Thither.
Speaking of which, am I the only one who see's the PS3 as the world's greatest way to sneak Linux in the backdoor into homes? Imagine the possibilities of turning a PS3 into a fully functional desktop, except with the massive horsepower of the Cell architecture behind it. The possibilities could be endless.
Now Microsoft, my dear fellow, here's a thing: one doesn't create cool, real-world apps on a 120-day trial version of an OS. It simply isn't done. Oh, how I wish it were; but as it's not, it just isn't.
Now, I realize this is all part of your 'capture markets that everyone actively avoids' strategy.
Having advanced into the 'phones that stop you from playing music' market and the 'OS licenses that suddenly cut out because you didn't keep on paying' market, you're now charging into the 'writing software for environments which you have so little interest in that you need a time-limited trial version' market.
Tally-ho, eh?
Splendid stuff but to be quite honest I'm not at all sure you know what you're doing!
Anyway toodle-pip. I have the Duke of Guernsey coming over for Quake. Quake 2, that is -- old Guernsey isn't quite on top of the trends, I fear! Splendid chap nonetheless. Anyway I must dash. Fucktard.
Whence? Hence. Whither? Thither.
From TFA: "Create your cool Windows CE project using 120-day free evaluation versions of Windows CE and its development tools, either or both of the designated Microsoft Shared Source components, and your own programming ingenuity".
So, you complete a great cool project, everyone gets to use your code... and then! You Pay Microsoft for continued use of the tools used!
If you keep throwing chairs, one day you'll break windows....
On the other hand, Linux is free and there's stuff like the WRT54g to run it on. So who is the target audience for this contest? Do they just want to get professional set-top-box developers exposed to their DVR stuff?
This would actually make sense if they were targeting existing customers. But who do they expect (or hope) will spend 4 months coding furionsly on some cool project, only to lose access to the development tools when it's all over?
Does someone who works on 'shared source' end up polluted by their access to MS source code? Can they no longer contribute to competing open source projects without being accused of stealing MS IP?
If so, it's a pretty lousy deal. Give away your code for free to Microsoft. Make it unavailable for use in other contexts, and give up your freedom to contribute *other* code to other projects.
All for a chance at a free Xbox?
Posted from my Android phone. Oh, I can change this? There, that's better...