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Microsoft Makes Second GPLv2 Release
angry tapir writes "Microsoft has made its second release under the General Public License in two days with software for Moodle, an 'open-source course management system that teachers use to create online learning Web sites for their classes[, which] has about 30 million users in 207 countries.' It comes on the heels of Redmond contributing drivers to the Linux community. No reports as yet on dropping temperatures in hell."
Someone should really check out the source, just to be sure it doesn't contain hidden subliminal "You Love Microsoft" messages. A good way to brainwash people is to interfere with their education...
1) Release code under GPL
2) Pigs fly and spread pig flue
3) ?????
4) Plague!
5) Robo-ballmer rules the world
People replying to my sig annoy me. That's why I change it all the time.
I wonder if, with all that Microsoft is doing for the open source community. Will they be nice, and buy a winter coat for Satan?
Coming from an era when even education versions of Microsoft's software would cost a bit of scratch, I can only applaud this move. Course/Project Management software needs to be flexible and accessible. I believe this meets both criteria.
Where genius and insanity become confused true wisdom is found
This is an moodle plugin for microsoft's own groupware. Like their previous driver offering, it's not a wholehearted contribution to making an open source project better, but instead just a thing to make microsoft's own services work better when people need to use open source.
It's good to see a willingness to do even this much, but hardly a staggering change of heart. They've a long way to go yet.
These really aren't the first contributions that MS has made to the GPLv2. They might be the first projects owned by Microsoft to fall under the license, but Microsoft has always offered the source code for the GNU tools released under Interix on their FTP site.
Not everyone was fooled. Apenwarr wrote about it, for one.
This is still Microsoft, folks. It's always a trap.
you had me at #!
Hi, I will not even look at it, it's evil. CU 9000h
and give them something back. What about a binary driver for their FAT filesystem?
Hmm, this is interesting. The more cynical part of me wonders why, and can't help but recall the protections against patent litigation built into GPLv3, and notably missing from GPLv2... Makes me wonder if that old adage "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts" isn't somewhat apropos the 21st century (with some modified verbiage): "Beware patent bearing monopolists offering non-GPLv3-ed code..."
The Future of Human Evolution: Autonomy
I don't know... It looks like its going to drop a few degrees overnight. http://www.weathercity.com/us/mi/hell/
If they were to do something like.... release DirectX 12 and have it open platform, for Linux users and Mac users, then.... maybe..... the community might cut them some slack.
for global warming?
AS far as I'm aware, the only thing they have for Moodle is a Windows Live Plugin, that lets you do Windows Live Searches and have some sort of MSN Messnger functionality.
This isn't Microsoft caring about GPL or whatever, it's about a small project that gives them more hooks into more websites. It gives people learning to use the web in a formal environment MORE Microsoft.
It pays to be obvious, especially if you have a reputation for being subtle.
Obviously this is to help locking the users since early on to MS services. Not evil in itself (and I suppose that either google has the same thing or is thinking in doing the same). But it mostly benefits MS, not Moodle.
Ballmer eats fluffy bunny rabits
AFAIK he doesn't, I do. I love rabbit, especially fried. Frodo and Samwise eat fluffy bunny rabbits, too.
Ballmer shoots puppies.
Free Martian Whores!
And, if they are changing, it takes a long time to reverse a reputation as bad as the one they have.
MS have a long and distinguished history of fucking people over. It will take a long time of them specifically not fucking people over for people to stop expecting anything MS announce to have ulterior motives. In much the same way as those people suspicious of MS cannot expect a turnaround in the attitude of the company overnight, you cannot realistically expect an overnight turnaround in the way Microsoft is perceived. I'm no MS hater. I know they've done a pretty big bunch of good things, and, as a Linux user I'm relishing (and, admittedly slightly worried by) the substantial increase in quality from them recently. IE and Office are two bits of MS software that have come on leaps and bounds in the past few years. But I still viewed everything they release with some suspicion because for so many years that has been the most appropriate thing to do. And for several years into the future, the MS I know is going to be the one that one should be suspicious of. Maybe they are changing, but they'll have to change dramatically and far to realistically win people over into thinking they're working for the good of anyone but themselves.
Ya, some tool to help teachers make web pages is open source. Ha!
I'd like to see some actual serious product they have go open source. Ya right. This is all just a PR stunt to say "see? we really are open source"
Has M$ already made a similar plugin for Blackboard or other competing software? I bet most college students who use Moodle don't even know that it's open source (and even then, most students use open source software on windeuce or OS X), so this is a great strategy for M$ to gain webmail/search engine market share while being partly user-transparent. The only real surprise (sort of) would be that M$ would encourage the use of open source software, but even then they'll surely use this as an exploit in order to abuse consumers (just like the .NET Firefox extension).
Freedom at
Microsoft release of 2 GPL software denotes a completely change of strategy. They started with the Anti-American, and Communist comparison campaign, and now they are changing the curse of their actions. Open-source advocates have many reasons to be suspicions about Microsoft actions since a radical change of position about such a deeply touchy issue, is something that probably has some other hidden interests and secret strategy.
While we could take from this 2 specific examples many obvious elations like serving their own interests in making their software more friendly to multiplatform users(in the case of the drivers), or some other obvious conclusion about how much money Microsoft will make with Moodle open-sourced, I think there's "more, to it than meets the eye."
Let us not forget that the GPL was not yet truly tested in any court of any country, and that the final battle is yet to come.
The GPL is a very friendly license for the original developers releasing the code, since they control full rights to re-release a (possibly enhanced) version under a proprietary license and charge money for that. They can also add clauses (a la MySQL) to make it difficult for outside developers to incorporate the software into a packaged solution without negotiating additional licensing fees. So the source code might be free as in beer, but only for academic and private use.
OTOH it's hard for to make money selling someone else's GPL'd code, since your source modifications have to released as well, unless you can afford to staff a customer support operation like Red Hat... and better make sure its reputation is as good or better than the competition's.
Richard Stallman supposedly actually suggested the dual-licensing scheme, to TrollTech or some company like that.
...
In much the same way as those people suspicious of MS cannot expect a turnaround in the attitude of the company overnight, you cannot realistically expect an overnight turnaround in the way Microsoft is perceived...
But it's been TWO nights!
Interesting.
If you modify their code and try to distribute it you will be forced to release the source--and they will take it back! :D
Tsunami -- You can't bring a good wave down!
What a shocker, Microsoft releases something using that dangerous viral license GPL. Well at least, dangerous and viral according to Microsoft.
80 CC D8 AF AE D3 AB 54 B7 2E CE 67 C7
I think this is part of a larger strategy to point people to thier Azure "Cloud" platform.
Microsoft will probably "open source" more of thier software if it serves the purpose of exposing Microsoft to more people.
If you expect them to one day open source any of thier major technologies (e.g. DirectX, Windows or SQL Server) you will be waiting a loooonnnng time before this will happen.
They will probably open source enough of the "connectivity" type of software to provide a "path of least resistance" to interoperate *into* the Azure platform.
Of course the Azure platform is *not* open source which means you will be *locked-into* thier technology. So sure, you may have open source client code at your disposal but it eventually will lead into a locked platform.
As a company they want to grow beyond "PC on every desk, Windows on every PC, on every phone, console, toaster, gerbil" - that's too limiting now, they want to be the central hub of the Internet and fully exploit "the cloud".
As a bonus everyone moves to a rental model (like the mainframes of years ago) - you don't own anything, you are bound by *thier* "terms and conditions" and you perpetually keep paying for stuff.
This is a corporation's wet dream.
In this case "It's a Trap" may be justified.
Or I am just paranoid and drink waaaayyy too much coffee.
> it is possible that Microsoft might be changing
I like to give people (or companies) a chance to change. But I do require that they first undo their previous crimes. Microsoft can start by identifying the 235 patents they talked about few years ago:
http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/05/14/0018242
What a shocker, Microsoft releases something using that dangerous viral license GPL. Well at least, dangerous and viral according to Microsoft.
[ a bit of reading on the topic for those who think GPL is viral ]
Reply to That ||
Lately a lot of people have been taking up ridiculous mental conflicts. Chief among them is that spending our way to out of debt works. (It doesn't, never has in history, and can't, mathematically: the intent is a coup).
I don't see how anyone trusts Microsoft, a company promising since about 1995 to "get things done faster" and "Make the internet simpler" and "this version is more reliable" but the people running it barely turn it on before buying SOMEONE ELSE'S CODE to keep it from crashing from viruses. And they overlook the circling crowd of 2,000,000 viruses waiting to pounce, should the AV program fail.
This is the company that for about 25 years has shown the market that making a 'killer app' means killing the new company with the new ideas. Sybase, Blue Mountain, Netscape, and so on.
So this corporate bully, this devourer of good ideas, who hasn't told us the truth since DISCO is going to offer GPL code and you would actually try it?
Do you like candy? Won't you get into my van- I have candy!
--- For a good time mail uce@ftc.gov
There have been times in my life when I would not have thought that someone who calls himself "fuzzy fuzzy fungus" could educate me.
But you did it this time.
for doing it right and not using GPLv3 just because it's newer! It is useless to have open source software available for your use if its license is fundamentally incompatible with your business. Of course, it would be even nicer if they released software under an even freer license i.e. BSD or similar, but I think the only thing preventing that is those licenses not having the buzzwordiness of GPL.
Brian Fundakowski Feldman
Given the trend towards open source software, Microsoft really has to come on board to remain competitive. Unfortunately, M$ is slowly losing its own Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt campaign and must ultimately concede that free/open source software is not "un-American." Actually, free/open source software is very much American as it is open and returns control back to the individual. If America was founded on individualism, then free/open source software should epitomise "Americanness" I also don't doubt that it is part of much larger strategy on Microsoft's part but Microsoft has lost a good bit of its dictatorial powers. I still don't see cloud computing as really catching on in the mainstream just yet. Cloud computing is just really a fancy term for a complete 180 degree turn to an era when computing was centralized and people interfaced with the computer via a terminal. Signs of this are already happening for consumers but the business world would be relatively unwilling to give control over its most important and precious applications.
Somebody stop them!
Blah blah.... I'm closed minded and choose to judge people based on prejudice rather than by their own actions. Therefore MicroSoft is and always will be an evil company and anyone who buys their products are supporting the Anti-Christ and all they represent. Now I'm going to go buy DoubleClick's... sorry I mean Google's new OS and because the name makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside thier products will always be superior to anything that Microsoft can produce.
The bandwagon mentality on this forum is ridiculous. Where are all the open-minded, reasonable Software Developers? Apparently not on /. where we only want to hear our own opinions reinforced. Microsoft is submitting professionally developed, open source code to improve interoperability between their products and open source products. Further, you could use their open code to develop drivers of your own or simply to explore how this feature is implemented. Any reasonable Software Developer would laud Microsoft; but there seem to be too many whose entire world view would fall apart if they didn't have their great antagonist.
Guess what! We Software Developers are all on the same team. Time to grow up and act professionally; that means treating others with respect and judging them on their actions rather their your own prejudice. The developers at Microsoft work as hard as the rest of you, they have their own problems, families to support, bills to pay, etc. Their contributions should be commended... not torn down.
They don't own those anymore, they sold them to ex-Microsofties' "Intellectual Ventures" to use in 2011 when the Novell customers-Microsoft patent deal runs out
</big-tinfoil-hat-time>
Judging someone on his actions always means to include past actions in your judgement. If someone has a track record of being a child molester, and now opens a school, you wouldn't give your children there, just on the basis that during the last few days he didn't molest any childs, and after all, giving children an education is a good thing.
The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
This is exactly not what I said.
Anyone consider that releasing under GPLv2 might hamper a future transition of the linux kernel, etc., to the M$-unfriendly GPLv3?
It's not about good or bad intentions, so please stop trying to interpret it in that context.
Then outlaw corporations from doing things like public service announcements. I believe the last one I saw ended the announcement with "CBS Cares". Everything you said means nothing until then.
It's hard for people to judge things straight with propaganda like that.
Once you start despising the jerks, you become one.
Then pointy haired boss will be able to argue that the company should stay with Windows.
That is why Microsoft is putting so much energy into helping open source projects run on WIndows... that is all except Linux of course. And that is the point. Linux is the threat, not the open source applications.
All of their open source projects, many directed through Novell, are intended to hook Linux users onto Microsoft technologies.
I have to say they are doing a very good job of it too. Linux supporters will have to get their act together if they are to respond in time.
If the only BIOS acceptable to hardware manufacturers (trusted platform?) was written by Microsoft, you would HAVE to pay them whatever they asked.
A meeting of minds is not necessary.
This is a good thing, but I do have some concerns. I'm a moodle admin at my college's online learning program. We've been using moodle for a year and a half now. Our IT dept. (separate from us) eats everything Microsoft, and went to Live Mail last year for our mail solution. This will enable us to at least avoid having to have two separate sites for the LMS & email. Maybe it will also pave the way for integrating Microsoft live apps (Word, excel, ppt online) in the courses, and hopefully serve as a file repository for students. Not wild about having it use Bing for search, and also the http://my.liveatedu.com/ site doesn't even load in Safari on Windows Vista! That gives me a little pause, will these apps that are linked to run in Firefox or on the Mac or Linux? Guess I'll have to install it on our test server and check into it.
Taking guns away from the 99% gives the 1% 100% of the power.
The only reason microsoft made the last two contributions is because the products are popular and they did not have a presence. For them to stay "required" they have to participate. Those areas are Open Source so the contributions have to be open too. If there are no applications for Moodle that rely on windows, microsoft could loose it's "it requires windows" desktop status in the schools. Schools are the last place Microsoft would like to find themselves unneeded.
Having to work for a living is the root of all evil.
This is a good thing, but I do have some concerns. I'm a moodle admin at my college's online learning program. We've been using moodle for a year and a half now. Our IT dept. (separate from us) eats everything Microsoft, and went to Live Mail last year for our mail solution. This will enable us to at least avoid having to have two separate sites for the LMS & email. Maybe it will also pave the way for integrating Microsoft live apps (Word, excel, ppt online) in the courses, and hopefully serve as a file repository for students. Not wild about having it use Bing for search, and also the http://my.liveatedu.com/ site doesn't even load in Safari on Windows Vista! That gives me a little pause, will these apps that are linked to run in Firefox or on the Mac or Linux? Guess I'll have to install it on our test server and check into it.
Yeah, you can turn off the Bing search altogether if you don't like it (see the 'admin settings page' when you log in as admin, under 'blocks'=>'settings'. It's actually cool that they provide a settings page in this code vs having to grovel the source for global PHP variables.
I have it working on FF, Safari, IE7/8, on my Ubuntu box, Win box, and an Intel Mac. I haven't tried Opera nor from a mobile browser yet.
I think this will be a nice thing to add for our users, and it's nice to get it now before the school year starts.
Good luck.
My keen analytical mind detects a bit of skepticism.
Actually Microsoft is misunderstood. Microsoft is not a software company. It is an abuse company that uses software to deliver abuse.
Okay, that is an exaggeration. But Microsoft products have been such a hassle that it is easy to exaggerate.
They were found to be in breach of the GPL with regard to Open Source code they 'borrowed' and contaminated with closed stuff. That is not allowed by the terms of the GPL. They tried to avoid the release. The only way they could protect themselves from their misdeed was to comply with the GPL terms and release the code.
I tried it too and it worked fine.