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Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols

Cyber Cynic

Microsoft violates GPL

46 comments

TAGS:development, GPL, IP, Microsoft, Windows
IT TOPICS:Development, Management, Open Source, Operating Systems, Software, Windows & Microsoft

Microsoft has long ripped off free software. The canonical case is that when Microsoft needed to create its own TCP/IP stack, the company instead swiped one from the BSD-licensed Unixes. Years later, it seems Microsoft still can't resist stealing from open-source software.

Rafael Rivera, a Microsoft fan, reports in his "Within Windows" blog that Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool, a program to help netbook XP Home users to upgrade to Windows 7, contains "source code [that] was obviously lifted from the CodePlex-hosted (yikes) GPLv2-licensed ImageMaster project."

CodePlex is Microsoft's open-source-project-hosting site. It's also the name of Microsoft's new "open-source" non-profit group, the CodePlex Foundation. The Foundation's job is to bring open-source and proprietary software companies together to work on open-source projects. Now we know why: so Microsoft can walk off with any goodies they produce.

The Windows 7 tool, of course, has Microsoft licenses all over it, doesn't allow users any access to its source code, and makes no acknowledgments to the debt it owes to ImageMaster. So much for the GPL.

I never bought for a moment that Microsoft had any real interest in working with open-source developers except for its own benefit. This case just underlines it.

Microsoft has pulled the program for the time being. The Evil Empire has told ace-Microsoft reporter Mary Jo Foley that "Microsoft is looking into this issue and is taking down the WUDT tool from the Microsoft Store site until its investigations are complete. We apologize to our customers for any inconvenience."

I doubt we'll ever see it again. This is a little too raw for the Microsoft of 2009.

Ironically enough, even as Microsoft was doing this, Novell was further cementing its developer ties with Microsoft by announcing Mono Tools for Visual Studio. This program enables Microsoft .NET developers to develop Mono/.NET applications with Visual Studio.

Unlike some people, I don't hate Mono, the open-source version implementation of C# and the CLR (Common Language Runtime) that is binary compatible with Microsoft.NET. I've just never believed that Microsoft would ever keep .NET stable long enough for Mono to be anything more than .NET's little brother, who was always lagging behind in any race.

With this latest example of how Microsoft really sees open-source, as an enemy to be taken advantage of whenever possible, I have even fewer reasons to trust Microsoft. I really can't recommend any open-source programmer work with Microsoft. In the end, Microsoft's goals aren't your goals: they'll do what's best for them, and if that means screwing you and open-source over, so be it.

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Mono Tools for Visual Studio

Submitted by Candy Man on November 12, 2009 - 4:03 P.M.

Hey, that's cool - porting .NET apps to Linux, or creating new apps for Linux and from inside Visual Studio - that's unique.

How good it is at doing this??

Has anyone used it?

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Get informed

Submitted by Anonymous on November 12, 2009 - 6:08 P.M.

Stallman warns of Mono 'risk':
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10276101-83.html

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Microsoft violates GPL?

Submitted by Anonymous on November 11, 2009 - 10:30 P.M.

Nah,

They're switching to Linux the only way they know how!
Lie, Cheat and Steal :-)

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Now, Steven, look in the mirror for a minute

Submitted by Anonymous on November 11, 2009 - 10:18 A.M.

Yes, Microsoft is only a shadow of its former self with sales of a bit over $40 billion and market cap of about $250 billion (yes, i got the market cap right unlike your analysis)

The inroads of Open Source have just been so crippling to MS that they feel the need to commit theft against the Open Source community. Yes, the supposed MS participation in Open Source is tainted with the profits from businesses that like stable products they can depend on.

Then again, the article is so inflammatory. Some time ago you commented about how you were so disappointed that discussions on this board deteriorate into name calling so quickly.

You might want to look in the mirror for just a short second. The name calling starts at home. Just look at your article:

Evil Empire - originally equated with totalitarian regimes that routinely tortured and killed people. Nice touch. While you may believe that Microsoft tortures and kills people, I'd like to see evidence of that first. It might be hard to come by.

As for the infringement upon the GPL, I'm sure Stallings and his bunch would be all over MS should there be an egregious issue. So far, I see nothing from the FSF about the incident.

So, as the self appointed defender of the GPL you might want to talk to the folks over there before going off on someone that might actually be trying to work with them.

Then again, using the quick, cheap, hate mongering methods to drive hits on your blog is much more your style.

No wonder this deteriorates so quickly.

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Get your concepts straight

Submitted by Anonymous on November 11, 2009 - 10:13 A.M.

You CANNOT "swipe" BSD licensed code.

This is why the business uptake of Linux is so slow, ten years on; people like yourself spouting errors of fact to the converted. Keeping it incendiary to pull eyeballs to your blog.

Got to make your money, right?

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Business uptake of Linux

Submitted by AnnyMoose on November 11, 2009 - 11:10 A.M.

"business uptake of Linux is so slow".

Anonymous, you are painfully wrong on that point.

Here is a short list of some companies supporting Linux. The list is much longer with hundreds of company names. Ask The Linux Foundation for details:

Acer , AKM Semiconductor Inc, AMD, Analog Devices, Aplix Corporation, ARM, Ascender Corp., Astaro , ASUSTeK Computer , Atheros Communications, Audience, Borqs, Broadcom Corporation, China Mobile Communications Corporation, China United Network Communications, Commercialization Companies, Consultant, eBay , Freescale , Fujitsu, Garmin International , Google , Handset Manufacturers, HP , HTC Corporation, Huawei Technologies, IBM, Intel Corporation, KDDI CORPORATION, Lenovo Mobile Communication Technology Ltd., LG Electronics , linutronix, Linux Foundation , LivingImage LTD., Marvell, Marvell Semiconductor , MIPS Technologies , Mobile Operators, MontaVista, Motorola , Movial, Myriad, NetApp, Nokia, Noser Engineering , Novell , NTT DoCoMo , Nuance Communications , NVIDIA Corporation, OMRON SOFTWARE Co Ltd., Oracle, packetVideo (PV), parallels, QLogic, Qualcomm , Red Hat, Renesas Technology , Samsung Electronics, Semiconductor Companies, SGI , Simtec , SiRF Technology Holdings , SkyPop, SOFTBANK MOBILE Corp., SONiVOX, SONY, Sony Ericsson, Sprint Nextel, ST-Ericsson, Sun, SVOX, Synaptics , T-Mobile, TAT - The Astonishing Tribe AB, Teleca AB, Telecom Italia, Telefónica, Texas Instruments Incorporated, Toshiba Corporation, Vodafone, Vyatta, Wind River, XenSource

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Evil Empire

Submitted by Anonymous on November 11, 2009 - 9:01 A.M.

I want to dispute giving Microsoft the title of Evil Empire. As we all know, there's a new Evil Empire on the block, Apple. Where Microsoft is now merely a shadow of it's former malevolent bad self, Apple has taken up the mantle and is now officially eviler than the Company Formerly Know as the Evil Empire. Or at least, that's what I've been hearing from the Windows fanboys.

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Microsoft = evil

Submitted by Anonymous on November 11, 2009 - 9:23 A.M.

Microsoft is evil, why would we want to believe otherwise? I admit that they have mellowed out a little, but they are only doing this for image and for their own benefit. More and more people are realizing what kind of games they are playing, mainly monopoly and vendor lock-in tactics. While this is great for business, it is not great for end users of the software. Why do you think they have been declining in their market share for the past couple of years? Because people are voluntarily looking for products that don't have all of the rules and restrictions. People should consider GNU/Linux as it is completely open and free, as in your freedom. If you want to use Windows, go ahead, but keep your wallet close by so that you can open it up and dip in and pay Microsoft your dues! Otherwise, you can permanently close your wallet to Microsoft and use Linux. What people don't realize is that Linux is enterprise grade now, and can do everything Windows can do and more since it is bundled with tons and tons of software.

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Evil

Submitted by Jim but not THE Jim on November 11, 2009 - 11:30 A.M.

Who was it that said people have to believe in evil because they just can't believe much of the bad in the world is just plain incompetence? “Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.”

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ATTENTION!!!! Oombooboo:

Submitted by Ooobooobooo Lactating Llama on November 11, 2009 - 3:03 A.M.

ATTENTION!!!!

Oombooboo: Felcy Ferret is going to be the new Windoze Killa!!!

It comes with exciting new software such as:

- Tux Racer! A game that matches 1997 3D graphics! Collision detection that mostly works!!! And several exciting levels where you get to be a penguin racing down a hill!!!

- Solitaire!!! Well, sort of. It's a knock off, but it's freaking cool!!!

And more features like:
- Wireless ... that mostly works
- Printer support that sometimes uses the wrong printer driver but rest assured ... AFixIsRightAroundTheCorner(tm)!!!
- A web browser that ... browses AND plays OGG Vorbis!!! Wow!!! Never heard of OGG? Dang, us neither ... but it's frickin' cool man!!!

But that's not all!!! We'll throw in a poo-colored desktop for you, show your friends your system, you can show them the true colors of FOSS and freetardia!!!

Don't forget to send your toe nail clippings to Richard Stallman!!! He's our leader and confidant.

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