Microsoft Releases Specs for Binary Formats

skolima writes "In response to requests for even easier access to the Binary Formats, Microsoft has agreed to remove any intermediate steps necessary to get the documentation. They're going to just post it, making it directly available as a download on the Microsoft web site. Microsoft will also make the Binary Formats subject to its Open Specification Promise by February 15, 2008. They're even planning to include an Open Source converter implementation."

Comments

The important stuff

[ccguy]

The important stuff from the TFA:

Microsoft agreed to:
* Initiate a Binary Format-to-ISO/IEC JTC 1 DIS 29500 Translator Project on the open source software development web site SourceForge (http://sourceforge.net/ ) (...) The Translator Project will create software tools, plus guidance, showing how a document written using the Binary Formats can be translated to DIS 29500. The Translator will be available under the open source Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) license (...). The Translator Project will start on February 15, 2008.
* Make it even easier to get access to the Binary Formats documentation by posting it and making it available for a direct download on the Microsoft web site no later than February 15, 2008. The Binary Formats have been under a covenant not to sue and Microsoft will also make them available under its Open Specification Promise (see www.microsoft.com/interop/osp) by the time they are posted.

Re:One month to reconfigure firewalls

[whatever1856]

It relies on Visual studio being present though, Nullsofts nSis (which I use) cares not for such restrictions. no it doesn't. It can be used with VS but you don't have to. When we started using WiX, I just used an XML editor create the files and then ran the WiX compilers and linkers from the command line. It's convenient to use it via Visual Studios, but by no means necessary.