On the surface it seems like they're embracing Opensource but statements like:
"Microsoft is providing a covenant not to sue open source developers for development or non-commercial distribution of implementations of these protocols."
and
"commercial use patent licenses would be readily available for the right fee"
don't exactly fit the opensource mould??
Answers
Add AnswerYup, anything that comes out of Redmond should be taken with a grain of salt. Opensourcing their crap would benefit them in the long run because it might help improve the crap they put out.
Still, it is a step in the right direction. We'll have to wait and watch how this whole thing plays out
I hear you Ajaxer! Beware the spin outta Redmond :) Still I think they're finally coming around and having Ray Ozzie there definitely helps.
Like you said - as far as MS software quality goes - the only way is up!
By an anonymous user on Mar. 17, 2008
In all fairness to Microsoft, they have taken a step in the right direction.
Its a ways away before they open up their profitable apps (office, windows) but I can see that happening in the distant future...
By an anonymous user on Sep. 11, 2008
Oh wake up: they try to con gullible developers that they are taking a step in the right direction, just like how they got away with 'stepping towards open data standards' by forcing their own ooxml through standardisation when their was already a truly open standard in Opendoc.
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