Microsoft Reduces Shared Source Licenses 164
UltimaGuy writes to tell us eWeek is reporting that Microsoft will be reducing the number of licenses that it will use for its Shared Source Initiative. Instead of more than 10 different licenses they are aiming for just three core licenses. The first license format, Ms-PL (Microsoft Permissive License), is similar to the BSD license while the second, Ms-CL (Microsoft Community License), is based on the Mozilla Public License. The third format, Ms-RL (Microsoft Reference License), "has no open-source alternative and is a reference-only license that allows licensees to view source code in order to gain a deeper understanding of the inner workings of Microsoft technology."
Except that there are 4 licenses... (Score:4, Informative)
"Microsoft has created a limited version, the Microsoft Limited Permissive License (Ms-LPL), of this license to be used for restricting usage to the Windows platform only. The platform restriction is a measure that Microsoft, as a commercial software provider, may choose for a particular source code release in order to enable positive interaction with Windows-based developers. This version of the license will be employed on a case-by-case basis based upon commercial considerations."
Limited but Permissive. Insert 1984 newspeak reference here.
And they add this limitation as a benefit! Whee.
I'm so jaded I'm not even going to read the terms--I'm just going to stay far far away from them. Not even interested.
I mean...5. (Score:3, Informative)
Re:I mean...5. (Score:1)
Re:I mean...5. (Score:2)
It's up to you. A life of ease... of reflection and unlimited access to Microsoft source code...
And all you have to do is just one little thing... it's nothing really...
Re:I mean...5. (Score:2)
I find the fact that you could quote all that VERY frightening.
Please tell me you had to look it up somewhere.....
Re:I mean...5. (Score:2)
Taking the analogy to extremes, I'd hate to see the room where BillG subjects naked FOSS-/Google-friendly staff to the treatment ...
Amongst our weapons (Score:1)
Re:Except that there are 4 licenses... (Score:4, Interesting)
And what exactly doesn't inter-operate with other licences and why does it have to? If the GPL was compatible with MS licences or other closed source licenses you'd lose your freedom on the software. And vice-versa. If MS were to make their licences compatible with the GPL, they would have to abandon their control over the source and give all the freedom the GPL provides. They'd never do that.
R.Stallman can change what at will? If you release your software under the GPLv2 and GPL is revised to v3, you can still continue to release your software under GPLv2. I don't see your point. Or maybe I do, you intended to mislead and spread disinformation.
Re:Except that there are 4 licenses... (Score:2)
Some licenses may be more palatable than others, but to my knowledge they all have at least some restrictions, so none of them can really be considered "free".
Re:Except that there are 4 licenses... (Score:2)
The No only applies to retroactive changes to copies that you've already distributed. You can re-license your own code however you want (as long as you don't violate licenses+permissions of contributed code). But any code that people already have can be 'forked' to stay under the license it was originally recieved under.
IANAL, but I think that the 'or later versions' is permissive, so if you re-release someone else's under the current version only, you should still be within the terms of the lic
Re:Except that there are 4 licenses... (Score:2)
The version you have now is still GPL2 (or whatever it was when you obtained it) - the existence of newer licenses don't suddenly make you subject to their terms, even with the upgrade clause.
If these are really BSD and MPL style (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:If these are really BSD and MPL style (Score:2)
I doubt it. GPL or GPL-compatible philosophy is basically "you can do whatever you want with the source". I believe MS licenses will state "here is what you can do with the source".
Re:If these are really BSD and MPL style (Score:4, Insightful)
That's not really true - Do What You Want with the source code is a BSD philosophy. GPL is more of an All Software Should Be Open Source philosophy and it trys to enforce that.
Re:If these are really BSD and MPL style (Score:2, Insightful)
How so?
I think it's more like a "Here's my work, do whatever. But don't try to sell it closed source, bitch."
The GPL doesn't say anything about -all- software, or philosophy. Perhaps that's the goal of the people that WROTE the GPL, but the GPL itself is no such thing.
If you don't want to use it, you simply can't stand on the shoulders of someone else's work that is. It's that simple.
Re:If these are really BSD and MPL style (Score:3, Informative)
The GPL is the license used by the Free Software Foundation, as a tool in their idea that software should be free (not just open source, actually free, as in "freedom", freedom to use, to share, to improve, and to share improvements), and it is actually purposely restrictive achieving the goal of being incompatible with proprietary software licenses, which it's supposed to "fight".
The GPL is just a license, not a political statement, so it just stat
Re:If these are really BSD and MPL style (Score:3, Insightful)
Except relicense it with anything other than the GPL, and except keeping your modifications closed source. Ironically quite restrictive, compared MS-PL.
Re:If these are really BSD and MPL style (Score:2)
Except relicense it with anything other than the GPL, and except keeping your modifications closed source. Ironically quite restrictive, compared MS-PL.
You don't have to distribute your changes unless you redistribute your changed version. I don't see any MS licenses that allow you to relicense their code.
Re:If these are really BSD and MPL style (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:If these are really BSD and MPL style (Score:4, Insightful)
MS-PL does not seem too restrictive, if you only wish to use Microsoft's propritary OS.
"(F) Platform Limitation- The licenses granted in sections 2(A) & 2(B) extend only to the software or derivative works that you create that run on a Microsoft Windows operating system product."
I would probably say MS-PL's philosophy is: "You can do anything you want with this, as long as it does not dilute our empire"
Re:Ms-PL and Ms-LPL (Score:2)
"Microsoft has created a limited version, the Microsoft Limited Permissive License (Ms-LPL), of this license to be used for restricting usage to the Windows platform only. The platform restriction is a measure that Microsoft, as a commercial software provider, may choose for a particular source code release in order to enable positive interaction with Windows-based developers. This version of the license will be employed on a case-by-case basis based u
Re:Ms-PL and Ms-LPL (Score:2)
Re:If these are really BSD and MPL style (Score:2)
Yeah, they don't seem bad. (Score:5, Informative)
The limited version of the licenses (Ms-LPL, and Ms-LCL) are definitely not free software as the limit their use to a single operating system, and of course the Ms-RL isn't even close to being free software, so it won't be on there.
As for GPL compatibility, that is a more difficult question, and is more dependent on legal details than differences in philosophy. IANAL, but I'd guess that they are not GPL compatible because of the Patent Litigation Clause:
This is a restriction that is not in the GPL, and the GPL has a clause that you cannot place any restrictions on the user beyond what is listed in the GPL. It should be noted that the Free Software Foundation is not opposed to a clause like this, and are in fact considering adding one to the next version of the GPL.
So, by my interpretation, they have technical incompatibilities with the GPL which may go away with the next version of the GPL.
I forgot to add. (Score:3, Insightful)
However the Ms-PL and Ms-CL do not g
Re:If these are really BSD and MPL style (Score:2)
Yes, that's it (Score:2, Funny)
Let's take every chance we have to attempt and
We would but... (Score:4, Informative)
Re:We would but... (Score:1)
Re:We would but... (Score:2)
Disclaimer: I work on contract for MSFT.
Re:We would but... (Score:1)
Er, yes [mono-project.com].
I don't know if Akamai's servers use Mono or not, but Linux in general (as well as BSD and Mac OS X) can run ASP.Net 1.1. I've used it successfully.
Re:We would but... (Score:2)
Re:We would but... (Score:2)
Re:We would but... (Score:2)
Re:We would but... (Score:2)
Modded TROLL? (Score:1)
It can be unfunny or redundant or something else if the moderator didn't like it.
The TROLL moderation is trollish itself, making people like me post statements that this post isn't TROLL.
Oh, never mind...
We need to reduce number of open source licenses (Score:5, Interesting)
No One has answers? (Score:5, Informative)
Notice of any changes or modifications to the Original Work, including the date the changes were made.
Any modifications of the Original Work must be distributed in such a manner as to avoid any confusion with the Original Work of the copyright holders.
A software licensed under the GPL does not have to provide notice of any changes made from the original work. SO this makes it non-compatable.
As for the second clause, it i so vague I don't even know how it could be enforced.
Re:No One has answers? (Score:2)
Good advice, I suggest you take it. The first provision you quote is lifted straight from the GPL section 2A:
Re:No One has answers? (Score:2)
What does "...distributed in such a manner as to avoid any confusion with the Original Work of the copyright holders" mean? If I am dsitributing the software from my own website, is it not obvious that no matter what the software says, it is not the Original Work? What about if I label the software the same but change the colors on the logo?
I don't think this license was ran by a lawyer. YOu can't use a vague word like "obvious" in
GPL 2a (Score:2)
What does "...distributed in such a manner as to avoid any confusion with the Original Work of the copyright holders" mean?
I'm pretty sure that the GNU GPL's requirement of "caus[ing] the modified files to carry prominent notices stating that you changed the files and the date of any change" would probably count, although you'll have to get Dr. Moglen's opinion.
Re:We need to reduce number of open source license (Score:2)
Generally, if it isn't covered by GPL, LGPL, X11, BSD, or Artistic, I don't use it.
Re:We need to reduce number of open source license (Score:2)
Re:We need to reduce number of open source license (Score:2)
MS Windows (Score:1)
the day will come
Mixed feelings (Score:5, Insightful)
On the one hand, these licenses are a good thing. For example, Internet Explorer has a mysterious "hasLayout" feature that screws with CSS development. For years it went undocumented apart from a couple of obscure references in MSDN documentation. If Internet Explorer had been released under one of these "look but don't touch" licenses, we would at least have been able to figure it out for ourselves.
On the other hand, this type of license reduces the pressure for real openness and shared code. This type of license will undoubtedly be seen as an alternative to a real open-source license, and offers an easy way out to organisations that might otherwise have opened up their source.
In any case, the BSD-style license sounds decent enough, it's just the "look but don't touch" licenses I'm wary of.
Re:Mixed feelings (Score:2)
Just my $0.02!
Jalil Vaidya
Re:Mixed feelings (Score:2, Informative)
They have been doing so for years.
Re:Mixed feelings (Score:1)
Re:Mixed feelings (Score:3, Informative)
Incorrect, they do so and have done so for years.
I could be wrong... but no part of 'release' means 'to the world at large'... Microsoft has been making the Windows source code available to various colleges and companies for years under rather tight control because they don't want (for obvious reasons) the world at large to have access to it.
Don't believe me? Just take a look at a list of current licensees [microsoft.com].
Re:Mixed feelings (Score:2)
> code. This type of license will undoubtedly be seen as an alternative to a real open-source
> license, and offers an easy way out to organisations that might otherwise have opened up
> their source.
Actually that sort of look but don't touch license should almost be the default. Except the 'don't touch' shouldn't be any more enforcable than any other EULA. You still couldn't redistribute it because of cop
Re:Mixed feelings (Score:2)
No! It's the worst thing they could do! The BSD license is a license to steal. Microsoft could take Microsoft code and not give back!
Re:Mixed feelings (Score:1)
(and thus the world is consumed by the ouroboros of hot microsoft-on-microsoft action...)
Re:Mixed feelings (Score:3, Funny)
Your code:
Re:Mixed feelings (Score:2)
I would like to see MS grant a blanket patent and copyright vaiver to anybody who reads their code, until then you can simply presume it's a trap and that you should not walk into it.
Of course... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Of course... (Score:2)
Would Be Interesting... (Score:2, Interesting)
Please Don't (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Would Be Interesting... (Score:1)
Never trust anyone who says you can see something secret but only if you agree to a license that says you'll never use the information you've seen. No good can possibly come of it.
They already do. (Score:2)
Uh.. yeah (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Uh.. yeah (Score:1)
MS could cure cancer and people would still bitch.
FSF Europe's comment (Score:5, Informative)
Free Software Foundation Europe has already released an early comment on the issue, cautiously welcomming some of the new licenses:
http://mail.fsfeurope.org/pipermail/press-releaseMs-RL wtf? (Score:2)
Re:Ms-RL wtf? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Ms-RL wtf? (Score:2)
This is why the Mono people tell everyone who wants to help to stay away from Rotor and other MS stuff that's released under the shared source licenses, because they can probably be accused by MS of stealing code from those projects.
Color me ignorant..... (Score:1)
Code Review (Score:5, Informative)
Secondly they need to go through a massive code review for two reasons primarily because the legal team knows Microsoft is everyone's favorite (easiest??) target for a lawsuit (this doesn't mean a victory... just to initiate). They need to know where every single line of code came from and what are their rights to that code before they can open the code up. Because you know the first thing the lawyers will do is try to find someway to sue them for stealing source code. They need to guard themselves against "SCO vs IBM" type lawsuits.
The other reason they need to complete this code review is because they need to track down and fix as many of the security holes in their software that they can do in a reasonable amount of time. Otherwise this code will be used to ferret out security holes and we will see a new wave of security issues like no one has seen before, because admit it, Microsft products do run on the majority of machines today. The media will portray this as Microsoft handed the hackers the tools and Microsoft will see a lot of their business dry up because companies won't know if they are safe if they go with Microsoft. Once they release this cleaned up code, they will be able to smuggly throw it in everyone's face saying "See we're not so bad after all."
Write it from Scratch (Score:2)
This is probably why it's the Visual Studio 2005 starter kits that's being offered [microsoft.com] - basically demo code [paraz.com] that can just as easily be written by a Microsoft MVP not employed by them.
Re:Code Review (Score:1)
Temptation (Score:1)
But I'm still reading the EULA! (Score:1)
Three New Licenses in Brief (Score:3, Funny)
1) You are Bill Gates' bitch forever.
2) You are Steve Ballmer's bitch forever.
3) You are Steve Ballmer's bitch forever and you have to watch him do the monkey dance.
MS makes alot of things similar (Score:4, Funny)
Yes, just like MS Html is similar to html, MS
About time they started making similar licenses too
Re:MS makes alot of things similar (Score:1)
I get it! (Score:3, Funny)
Microsoft Reference License (Ms-RL) -- The Ms-RL is a reference-only license that allows licensees to view source code in order to gain a deeper understanding of the inner workings of a Microsoft technology. It does not allow for modification or redistribution. This license is used primarily for technologies such as development libraries.
What it means:
Microsoft Reference License (Ms-RL) -- The Ms-RL is an open invitation to a future lawsuit. You get to look at our code, and we get to sue your ass when you create something that does a similar function. Since we will have proof of who has viewed our code from user registrations, we'll start scanning open source community websites for names of those users here in a few years. If you can't pay us, it's okay, we'll just take over your project for you.
Re:I get it! (Score:4, Interesting)
I can understand your concern, but actually the Reference license makes a lot of sense for things like development libraries. If I'm getting some unexpected behavior from some MS lib, it's nice to be able to debug into it and see what's going on. I can't modify it, but I wasn't going to anyway; I've got to make my code work with the unmodified lib that will be on my users machines.
Besides, having seen code that does something, then writing code to do that thing does not put you on the losing end of a copyright suit. The "gotcha" you fear would not really work. At the least, it hasn't; The RL license is not new, there's a ton of code out there under it, and has been for a while. If the lawsuits you fear were happening, they'd certainly be making news on slashdot.
Re:Standard of copying (Score:2)
The Harrison case is is famous, but not particularly on point. The court concluded (most believe wrongly) the song was a copy of one that it in fact sounds a lot like. We're presumably talking about MS trying to prove source code is a copy of code it doesn't look much like.
All of which
Re:Merger (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Where is Ms-WI ? (Score:1)
Restrictive license for Wives/Girlfriends that only allows online purchases from Victorias Secret [victoriassecret.com], Flora Lee [floraleeproducts.com], and Think Geek [thinkgeek.com]!
The Nerve!!
Danger (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Danger (Score:3, Informative)
Your knowledge of copyright does not go far enough. While the typical slashdot understanding seems to be that if you ever saw someone elses code, anything you ever write belongs to them, this is not actually the case.
You are right that infringement does not have to be line for line copying; but it does have to be cop
No open-source alternative (Score:3, Funny)
However, it does have a strip-club alternative of "look but don't touch".
reason to view source (Score:1)
True cost? (Score:1)
But will they be USED? (Score:4, Insightful)
MS-PL permit cross-platform code?? (Score:1)
Re:MS-PL permit cross-platform code?? (Score:1)
Re:MS-PL permit cross-platform code?? (Score:1)
And what it says is basically "You can use stuff we release under this license only under Windows. You are not allowed to include this in code that executes on a platform other than Windows." It all rests in the interpretation of that little word "run", and Microsoft's interpretation is always all-inclusive, i.e. by "run" they don't mean "it can execute", they mean "it exclusively executes".
Latest News (Score:2, Funny)
Oxymoron alert! (Score:2)
Umm, duh! Because what you describe is the exact opposite of the definition of "open," so how could there possibly be an open source equivelant to such an ass-backwards, harmful concept?
Re:DHCP Lease renewal fail's again (Score:2)
Re:DHCP Lease renewal fail's again (Score:3, Interesting)
MS's look but don't touch liscences are textbook "embrace-extend" moves though.
Re:DHCP Lease renewal fail's again (Score:2)
If you are allowed to look, and fully document in plain text then someone else could come along and implement your description... Under the GPL...
That could be enough to really annoy Microsoft.
Z.
Re:DHCP Lease renewal fail's again (Score:2)
Re:DHCP Lease renewal fail's again (Score:2)
may have to move it again.
Um...It looks like it worked. You know you just posted a question to the Internet about not being able to connect to the Internet, right?
Oh, the other type of IP number? Here, you're 753 in our list. Please hold while we finish suing the other 752 people in line before you for infringing our IP.
Re:DHCP Lease renewal fail's again (Score:2)
Um, you know he posted a question to the Internet about not being able to connect to the Internet with his Windows box, right? I know it may be hard for some people to believe or understand, but not every machine that connects to the Internet is running Windows! In fact, much of the core technology that makes the Internet run predates Windows!
Heck, I'm posting to the Internet, and I don't even H
Re:DHCP Lease renewal fail's again (Score:2)