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Microsoft opens up

fawpodcastfawpodcast
edited February 2008 in Technology
Microsoft is opening their previously secret APIs and pledging not sue Open Source developers. What do you all think?

http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/21/microsoft-announces-new-strategy-to-interoperability-jumps-on-t/

Comments

  • NeitoNeito
    edited February 2008
    Call me paranoid, but there has to be a catch. I'm not buying that a company that once officially referred to open source as a cancer is going to flip-flop this fast.
    Post edited by Neito on
  • RymRym
    I also hear that if you give them the Sudetenland, they promise not to continue their aggressive expansionism.
  • GunfireGunfire
    edited February 2008
    I also hear that if you give them the Sudetenland, they promise not to continue their aggressive expansionism.
    Heh. Reductio ad Hitlerum...

    I'm with the European Commission.
    http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-6231525.htm
    Post edited by Gunfire on
  • fawpodcastfawpodcast
    edited February 2008
    Sounds like their adapting to open source to me. Read the article, it sounds pragmatic to me.
    Post edited by fawpodcast on
  • am_dragonam_dragon
    edited February 2008
    Don't kid yourself, it is drug dealer tactics. Lure them in on the freebies and hook them with the expensive stuff. Microsoft makes it's billions in licensing fees. If a person is using Linux, Eclipse, Open Office, and Firefox Microsoft don't really have anything to sell that person.

    Over the last few days Microsoft has announced it's handing out free copies of development software, said they are are not going to sue Open Source projects, and pledged to open api's. They are looking hard at Google, they see Google's applications and API's used in lots of projects unrelated to Google. Microsoft is just starting to see that it can capitalize on the community of windows users / programmers. Crowd computing "using the community to do your work for your". It's the basis of most web 2.0 sites and Microsoft is just catching on.

    Microsoft is not about to embrace Open Source. They are going to experiment with a few things to learn how to co-exist without giving anyone a reason to move to an open platform. I think this was a wise move on their part. IE needs community developed extensions, and now students can use Visual Studio to create a plugin for EI. I'm not sure what they are opening up and how well it can be used but imagine a suite of tools developed for Windows Server. Since the tools are open and the creator cannot profit from them Microsoft can now distribute those tools at no cost, as an added benefit to Windows Server. Not to mention nipping the whole Open Document thing in the bud, by providing a true Open Document solution in Office with little or no development cost.
    Post edited by am_dragon on
  • OmnutiaOmnutia
    For the record, no, I do not trust Microsoft.
  • Conan-SanConan-San
    edited February 2008
    I also hear that if you give them the Sudetenland, they promise not to continue their aggressive expansionism.
    Did...you just invoke Godwin's law on a second post and yet actually make it a winning argument?

    I guess this is why you do a podcast and I'm just a lowly anime club doing guy.
    Post edited by Andrew on
  • GunfireGunfire
    Red Hat is wary as well.
  • fawpodcastfawpodcast
    edited February 2008
    Good point "am_dragon". It's encouraging though for those of us that have to work in with Microsoft.

    Hey Rym..do you think this will have any impact on Wine development?
    Post edited by fawpodcast on
  • OmnutiaOmnutia
    I doubt it, wine deals with pretty core stuff, AFAIK. Not the kind of stuff being released.
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