Microsoft Finally Certifies an Open Source Web App 87
An anonymous reader writes "Microsoft has caught up with the fact that open source web-based software exists, today announcing an open source project written in PHP is the first 'Certified for Windows' software that (a) follows an OSI-approved license and (b) runs via a webserver rather than operating as a native Windows executable.
The software in question is SilverStripe CMS, free software released under a BSD license, that is used to build and manage websites. Certification entails a third-party performing various tests and audits on the software and giving it the green light. If other open source projects can follow suit, this will be another step in getting business folk to see that open source is ready for enterprise use. And heck, maybe even a .NET application could now seek to be certified!"
Re:Microsoft Certification (Score:4, Informative)
do companies not use a certain software because its not certified my Microsoft?
No. Only a small minority of software is certified, so you would be limiting your options way too much if you discounted the non-certified options. However, it is useful when comparing software to know which ones are certified, because it gives you the confidence that it will work in most environments. I have used non-administrator accounts since the days of NT4, and being certified meant that you knew the software would not have a fit as soon as it couldn't write into your C:\Windows folder.
Re:WiX was frist! (Score:1, Informative)
Two things:
1. WiX is not a web app
2. I don't think WiX is Certified for Windows
Microsoft supports the development of WiX, but that's not the same as logo certification.
Re:Cookie (Score:1, Informative)
Microsoft hasn't certified that the software is secure and bug free, they have certified that it behaves according to the guidelines laid out by the logo program.
Some of those guidelines are along the lines of security best practices, true, but the logo process only measures adherence to rules, not quality.
Re:Cookie (Score:3, Informative)
Someone's off their meds again...
Re:Microsoft Certification (Score:5, Informative)
I just hope people don't take these certifications too seriously. I don't have experience in an enterprise setting, but do companies not use a certain software because its not certified my Microsoft?
The point of certification is to make sure that software does certain things right - e.g. can run on 64-bit Windows, installs and uninstalls properly and in correct location, stores config files and other data in appropriate places (and not in e.g. "Program Files"), and doesn't do some things that are silly and potentially harmful (like catching and silently swallowing SIGSEGV). Best way to know what the certification actually means is to read the technical requirements [microsoft.com] and judge for yourself.
Re:Tonight On Bizzaro World News ... (Score:4, Informative)
... and they rave and tell everyone that it's the greatest thing how Microsoft has "innovated" and "implemented" this idea, meanwhile they are just underexposed under the cover of Microsoft's "secure and secluding" hand.
It happened when MS adopted JQuery, and FastCGI, and no doubt many projects yet to come.
Re:Congratulations SilverStripe? (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Microsoft Certification (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Congratulations SilverStripe? (Score:5, Informative)
Wrong: Microsoft does not "certify" 3rd party apps (Score:3, Informative)
Microsoft does not "certify" 3rd party software in any way. They document/specify HOW to get a product certified. It is up to the vendors (Microsoft Partners) to do the testing and certification if they feel it brings them business value. The certification itself is typically conducted by external companies such as Veritest/[url:lionbridge.com] (now one company).
You can pretty much sign up as a Microsoft partner on "Registered Partner Level" for 0 USD and start the cerification process. Or spend 100 USD on a BizSpark package and get 2 years license to Visual Studio and all the MS-stuff you need to get going. The biggest cost is the actual verification by the external testing company - Microsoft is not making any money from the certification process. Their goal is to provide a method by which a software vendor can demonstrate microsoft-compliance for their product. And show that compliance by using a logo.
In short: Anybody who feels up to it can start certifying any FOSS software that runs on a Windows box. Feel like certifying WINE? Go right ahead. Think ClamWin should have the "Works with Windows 7" logo? Go for it - the community will probably gladly help. Think the official "Certified for Windows 2008 Server" logo would look nice on the webpage of Squeezebox Server (former "Slim Server"). Download the source and get started - perhaps Logitec will help you out with resources if you ask them - and be sure to brush up on your Perl skills before your start.
So no
- Jesper