“Microsoft is to open up the source code behind its server communication protocols”
says the Register. One cheer says Geeklawyer. Microsoft said: “The commission asked for specifications. If you want to understand the protocols the source code is even better. This is the ultimate documentation. Indeed, and in this respect Microsoft echoes, word for word, the opinions of Andrew Tridgell of the impressive Samba project who said the same thing in the same words.
Hard, then, to disagree with Microsoft, however much one might wish to do so as a moral and political act. The problem lies in the price of access and the conditions attached to exposure to this code. As Geeklawyer understands it, and corrections are welcome, the conditions are that there is no tainting of such code or information by its inclusion within a Free or open source licenced project. Likewise the fee charged is sufficient to exclude its inclusion with free, as in beer, projects.
Microsoft does have its own, OSI approved, licences that would allow liberal use of its code, including Samba/CIFS stuff, but it has chosen not to do so. The presumption would be that these licences may be OK for its token projects but that for stuff that has any financial implications it is a step too far.
Like Geeklawyer said, one cheer. But Bill, you have a long way to go yet.
Is it possible to get this blog feed via email? Hanah in Chicago.
Hannah,
I can’t provide direct email feeds to users from the site as I dont have the software facilities. However you can subscribe to a webservice such as izynews and you can then read it like ordinary email.
There are other such services available & I suggest you google for them.
I also believe that the latest versions of Microsoft Outlook (I don’t use Microsoft software so I cannot verify this) also allows you to read rss feeds (a sort of news ticker) which this site does support.