Microsoft's 12-Step Program

NevarMore writes to tell us eWeek is reporting that Microsoft, after almost 30 years of Windows, now has 12 philosophical tenets outlining Windows development. From the article: "Smith said the principles largely come from things Microsoft picked up in the consent decree the software giant signed in settling its landmark antitrust battle with the federal government, but that more recent developments led to the crafting of some of the other principles. The 12 principles are based on three main areas: choice for computer manufacturers and customers, opportunities for developers, and interoperability for users, Smith said."

Comments

36 Tenets?

[ozmanjusri]

So does that make 36 tenets in total?
http://developers.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/0 7/20/2047250
http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/07/19/217 218&tid=109

Re:30 years?

[dingen]

I believe it is Microsoft that is nearing 30 years

Their 30th anniversary was last year. Microsoft was founded in April 1975.

Where the rules came from

[ZorbaTHut]

Smith said the principles largely come from things Microsoft picked up in the consent decree the software giant signed in settling its landmark antitrust battle with the federal government, but that more recent developments led to the crafting of some of the other principles.

Am I the only person who saw this?

Translation: We had to make some changes to keep from getting hit by more massive lawsuits, and then thanks to the EU ruling we had to make yet more changes. But we're going to act like it was voluntary because it looks better.

Where in there is "we've figured out some things that customers want and we're going to provide them"? No, this is all "let's keep from being sued again".

Translation

[bhmit1]

For those that need help understanding what MS is really saying:

1. We will ensure that Microsoft will design Windows in ways that make it easy for people to add non-Microsoft features.

Like viruses, spyware, adware, and so forth. Otherwise, we wouldn't have a market for getting rid of those problems and people wouldn't have a reason to upgrade.

2. Computer manufacturers are free to add icons, shortcuts and the like to the Windows Start menu and other places used to access software programs so that customers can easily find them.
3. Microsoft will design Windows so as to let computer manufacturers and users set non-Microsoft programs to operate by default in certain categories, such as Web browsing and media playback

And we can get past all that antitrust litigation.

4. Exclusive promotion of non-Microsoft programs ... indicating that Microsoft's fierce competition with Google aside, the company is dedicated to this principle.

Oh, we forgot to mention the entire open source movement and anything they happen to create. Them and Google. Oh, and Apple. Um... how about if we just limit this to companies we can buy or crush?

5. Microsoft will not retaliate against any computer manufacturer that supports non-Microsoft software

Again with the antitrust thing. Of course there's nothing saying you won't buy or destroy the other company, retaliation is completely different.

6. Microsoft provides the developer community with a broad range of innovative operating system services, via documented APIs (application programming interfaces), for use in developing state-of-the-art applications.

#$%$^ EU.

7. Microsoft will design Windows Live as a product that is separate from Windows. Customers will be free to choose Windows with or without Windows Live

Wait, didn't we just say no retaliation? Oh, you meant retaliation against them? Ok, them too.

8. Microsoft will design and license Windows so that it does not block access to any lawful Web site or impose any fee for reaching any non-Microsoft Web site or using any non-Microsoft Web service

We had this cool system all ready to go, but the marketing dept said they couldn't find a good way to sell it without pissing off the anti-trust folks.

9. The U.S. antitrust ruling provides that Microsoft may not enter into contracts that require any third party to promote Windows or any "middleware" in Windows on an exclusive basis and Microsoft has pledged to continue this.

Ok, so just this one time, we are going to do what we were order to do by the courts. But don't push your luck.

10. Microsoft will make its communications protocols available for commercial release.

We think there's a lot of money to be made here.

11. The company will generally license patents on its operating system invention.

Except to those damn open source folks, we'll make sure the license is way to restrictive for them.

12. The company is committed to supporting industry standards.

We always have. Just ignore the fact that we then extend them to our own liking. And that process usually means we have to break a few parts of the standard.

So, yeah, nothing to see here folks. Move along.

Re:Their choice of principles eh?

[Antique Geekmeister]

You have a good point. We've seen exactly this sort of attempt with the XML aspects of WinFS, with their modifications of Kerberos, and in their attempt to extend SPF with their SenderID system.

Fortunately, WinFS has finally been cancelled, Kerberos has been extended by MIT's authors to work around Microsoft's mistaken "extension", and fortunately or unfortunately SPF has basically been rejected due to the licensing problems Microsoft's "exteionsion" created.