Windows 8 Store Will Allow Open Source Apps

MrSeb writes "Some interesting legalese found in the recent publication of the Windows Store Application Developer Agreement could signify a very big win for the open source community. The section in question states that apps released under a license from the Open Source Initiative (GPL, Apache, etc.) can be distributed in the Windows Store. Further, it says that the OSI license will trump the Microsoft Standard Application License Terms, namely the the restriction on sharing applications. As for the reasoning behind this big about-turn, it could be down to Microsoft trying to soften the blow of its Android patent litigation — or maybe Redmond is just trying to differentiate itself from Apple, which famously restricts open source-licensed apps from being sold in its iOS and Mac App Stores."

Comments

Microsoft and open source

[InsightIn140Bytes]

As for the reasoning behind this big about-turn, it could be down to Microsoft trying to soften the blow of its Android patent litigation — or maybe Redmond is just trying to differentiate itself from Apple, which famously restricts open source-licensed apps from being sold in its iOS and Mac App Stores.

Or what about if Microsoft just doesn't have anything against open source projects? They have several ones themselves, have helped writing some Linux code and in every other way have softened themselves about open source.

Microsoft has never really locked down their desktop OS either. It has always been open in a way that it lets you run anything you want. Be it open source or proprietary code. Microsoft doesn't care - they're primarily selling their OS, and their OS has always came with the promise of you're being able to run anything you want. That is also why Windows has such a large market place for all kinds of applications and games. Being able to run anything you want, from any vendor you want, has always been one of the largest selling points of Windows.

Allowing open source programs isn't really problem for Microsoft..
- Linux still cannot compete on desktop. Much larger competitor to MS is OSX, and even then MS does programs for Mac too.
- As far as mobiles go, Microsoft already gets lots of money for every Android device sold. Microsoft wins in either case, be it Android or Windows Phone that is selling better.
- OpenOffice is a toy compared to MS Office. It's missing lots of features, isn't user friendly, it's slow and generally just works badly.
- Visual Studio is much better programming IDE than open source ones, especially when you add visualAssist to it.
- There isn't any open source competitors for Xbox 360. None.

It isn't about "softening the blow" or anything to those lines. Microsoft has just seen that open source really cannot compete with quality products.

Re:Microsoft and open source

[webmistressrachel]

Hmmm, I was taken in right up until the end where you said that "open source really cannot compete with quality products"!

Nice bit of flamebait for Mozilla, Apache, Google devs to be trolled by, if I do say so myself!

Re:Microsoft and open source

[willaien]

Huge agreement on Visual Studio being superior to pretty much any other IDE I've ever encountered, but, I'll disagree with a few other points: - OpenOffice is, by and large, more than sufficient for most users. Yes, a few things are missing, but, for the average user, they wouldn't miss those features. - Microsoft would likely prefer that Android didn't exist and that they could corner that market. It's not just the money from sales, it's losing some developers to mobile phones, and not to -Microsoft- mobile phones. This likely doesn't sit well with them, for various reasons. While I don't think this is a "Post-PC" world, yet, Microsoft would do well to try to innovate and gain market share in the tablet and phone arenas.

Re:Microsoft and open source

[TheCycoONE]

Now try to find high quality propriety products that are not backed by huge organizations. (Size of the backing organization and license used are different topics; you're trying to mix them and so your conclusion is flawed.)

Re:Microsoft and open source

[Alwin Henseler]

Or what about if Microsoft just doesn't have anything against open source projects?

More precisely: maybe MS doesn't have anything against open source projects that don't compete with their own products. Another option might be that Apple is a bigger evil to MS than making room for a few open source apps in their app store. Or MS fears losing their share in some markets & makes some concessions in order to stay relevant.

Microsoft has never really locked down their desktop OS either. It has always been open in a way that it lets you run anything you want. Be it open source or proprietary code. Microsoft doesn't care - they're primarily selling their OS, and their OS has always came with the promise of you're being able to run anything you want. That is also why Windows has such a large market place for all kinds of applications and games. Being able to run anything you want, from any vendor you want, has always been one of the largest selling points of Windows.

That's just flamebait... The primary reason for MS being dominant on the desktop is that newly bought computers nearly always come with it pre-installed, people got used to it, and it's good enough. Combined with a hefty dose of marketing, and perhaps a shady deal or two to make life hard for competitors. The landscape is changing, but anyone who believes otherwise is an idiot.

Re:Microsoft and open source

[ByOhTek]

More precisely: maybe MS doesn't have anything against open source projects that don't compete with their own products.

More precisely: maybe MS doesn't have anything against projects that don't compete with their own products.

Lets face it, in capitalism, no mater how much they claim otherwise, all companies hate competition against their products/services. And I don't believe MS has ever been dishonest enough claim or insinuate otherwise. They don't care about the source of the competition (open or closed), merely the quality and aggressiveness.

Re:Microsoft and open source

[jedidiah]

>> OpenOffice is, by and large, more than sufficient for most users.
>
> If you you going to place the "more than sufficient"
> conditional, you can say the same about Notepad or
> Wordpad for word processing.

So?

The fact remains that there's no good reason for the vast majority of people to be subjected "Word Perfect wannabes". The same mental block that prevents people from using LibreOffice prevent them from using any other of a wide array of suitable alternatives. Some of those are even commercial.

Microsoft is less evil than they used to be

[Anonymous Coward]

because their competitors are getting stronger (Mac, Linux, Google).

Actually I like the "new Microsoft". They seem a great deal more willing to engage in community process than they used to.

I think they realize something more important

[msobkow]

I think Microsoft is acknowledging something more important: that many good products are developed under open source licenses, but sold and maintained under commercial terms, a hybrid of philosophies that allows the programmers to keep eating!

As it turns out the patents Microsoft is pursing have nothing to do with the Linux kernel, GPL'd utilities, or Java implementation, the Microsoft lawsuits are just "business as usual" for the telecommunications industry as it has been for decades. The lawsuits are punishing; they're just the way telcos and their technology companies have dealt with the business landscape for decades. It's not a "nice" way of doing business, but it is "a" way of doing business.

Re:Apple does not disallow open source apps either

[BitZtream]

So what you're saying is that GPL is incompatible with the app store, not that the app store is incompatible with open source.

GPL is designed to not work with things like the app store, its funny when it works as intended people blame the other guy for the fact that its a rather restrictive license.

Re:Apple does not disallow open source apps either

[jedidiah]

Who came first?

GNU and the GPL has been around since Apple was still selling 8-bit computers.

It was Apple that decided to build a walled garden that clearly excludes Free Software. If you try to discriminate, you are the one at fault. You're trying to blame the victim.

Re:Microsoft is more evil than ever

[JAlexoi]

Oooo... I'd like to manufacture Android.
Since they use Android on their devices, they are technically users.