Thursday, April 10, 2003
Microsoft Expands Windows CE's "Shared Source" Program
Posted by Ed Hansberry in "OFF-TOPIC" @ 05:00 AM
http://news.com.com/2100-1012-996272.html?tag=fd_top
"As part of its effort to deal with the threat of open-source software, Microsoft plans to let device makers modify more of the source code of its specialized Windows CE operating system. But some say the company's licensing terms could kill interest in the plan."
Here is the kicker though, and what some feel would kill interest in the plan. "When the manufacturer makes changes for differentiating products, it has a six-month period to exclusively market devices with versions of Windows CE exhibiting these changes. After the period ends, Microsoft gains a royalty-free license to the technology, which allows any other developer to use them. Hitachi has already participated in this aspect of the program. The company developed changes to the user interface. Ideally, the original developer will be able to differentiate itself from the competition by half a year."
I'm not really sure what everyone is up in arms about. Open Source software changes have to be shared with the community under the GPL. MS is just applying that methodology to Windows CE. It seems to me Microsoft wants to make sure that if any changes that are made that can benefit the platform at large versus just one OEM's device or application, they want to get that into the next version.
"As part of its effort to deal with the threat of open-source software, Microsoft plans to let device makers modify more of the source code of its specialized Windows CE operating system. But some say the company's licensing terms could kill interest in the plan."
Here is the kicker though, and what some feel would kill interest in the plan. "When the manufacturer makes changes for differentiating products, it has a six-month period to exclusively market devices with versions of Windows CE exhibiting these changes. After the period ends, Microsoft gains a royalty-free license to the technology, which allows any other developer to use them. Hitachi has already participated in this aspect of the program. The company developed changes to the user interface. Ideally, the original developer will be able to differentiate itself from the competition by half a year."
I'm not really sure what everyone is up in arms about. Open Source software changes have to be shared with the community under the GPL. MS is just applying that methodology to Windows CE. It seems to me Microsoft wants to make sure that if any changes that are made that can benefit the platform at large versus just one OEM's device or application, they want to get that into the next version.
