Date: Thu, 21 Feb 2008 09:12:32 -1000 From: Jim Thompson <jim@netgate.com> To: noc@hdk5.net, LUAU <luau@lists.hosef.org> Cc: buug@weak.org, San Diego's BSD Users Group <sdbug@sdbug.org>, freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.org Subject: Re: [LUAU] Did Microsoft give up? Message-ID: <84B65469-37D3-43B0-9962-07956606900D@netgate.com> In-Reply-To: <47BDB2EC.8060803@hdk5.net> References: <47BDB2EC.8060803@hdk5.net>
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On Feb 21, 2008, at 7:20 AM, NetOpsCenter wrote: > Aloha, > > I just saw on TV news that Micro$oft has announced that it is =20 > opening its code for development of its operating system. > Does this mean the Open Source Community has proved itself the best =20= > way to go? No. Its more "get the EU off our backs" and "control the message". here are the key, tangible actions Microsoft details in their =20 announcement: * Ensuring open connections to Microsoft=92s high-volume products, where = =20 high-volume means: Windows Vista (including the .NET Framework), Windows Server = 2008, =20 SQL Server 2008, Office 2007, Exchange Server 2007, and Office =20 SharePoint Server 2007, and future versions of all these products. Note that you'll need 'new software' to get the "open connections". * Documenting how Microsoft supports industry standards and extensions * Enhancing Office 2007 to provide greater flexibility of document =20 formats * Launching the Open Source Interoperability Initiative * Expanding industry outreach and dialogue. Looking deeper into the announcement, much of what Microsoft=92s doing =20= is providing a more accessible platform for third-party developers to =20= tap into their ecosystem of multi-billion dollar software franchises. =20= For example, the company is launching APIs for Word, Excel, and =20 Powerpoint, and publishing tens of thousands of pieces of =20 documentation to its MSDN site. They're playing the same game with a new mask. They'll license their patented protocols to all comers "at low, =20 reasonable rates". They have stated that they won't sue open source developers that make =20= products that connect to theirs. They have also stated that they won't sue open source developers or =20 non-commercial distributors of software that uses their protocols. =20= If you're RedHat, or a company that uses Debian or Ubuntu, you still =20 have to license their patents. They did not "vet' Open Source as a development process. They did =20 not vet Free Software in any way, shape or form. Don't believe anything you see on TV. Here is the actual PR from =20 MSFT: = <http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2008/feb08/02-21ExpandInteropera= bilityPR.mspx?rss_fdn=3DPress%20Releases=20 > Jim
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