Microsoft took issue with some of the stuff we expressed in the article "Spare Us the Shared Source Hype" which originally appeared in the the Feb. 4, 2003 edition of the WindowsForDevices.com weekly newsletter.



Here's their response . . .


To the editor:

In response to the article entitled "Spare Us the Shared Source Hype" in the Feb. 3, 2003 edition of the WindowsForDevices.com newsletter, it is important to clarify a number of misunderstandings referenced in the piece.

First, the Microsoft Shared Source Initiative was launched in May of 2001 and has grown to nine programs that provide source code access to Microsoft product source code for many different types of developers. The full list of programs includes:

• Enterprise Source Licensing Program
  
• Systems Integrator Source Licensing Program
  
• Government Source Licensing Program
  
• OEM Source Licensing Program
  
• Microsoft Research Source Licensing Program
  
• C#/JScript/CLI Implementations Shared Source Licensing Program
  
• Microsoft Windows CE Shared Source Academic Curriculum License
  
• Windows CE Shared Source Licensing Program
  
• .NET Passport Manager Source Licensing Program

Full details on these programs are available on the Microsoft Shared Source Initiative site. In addition to these, and as referenced in the article, governments do have the ability to access Microsoft Windows source code as part of the Government Security Program.

Second, while the Shared Source Initiative was launched in May of 2001, the Windows CE Shared Source Program was announced in July of 2001, making over 500,000 lines of Windows CE 3.0 source code available under the Windows CE Shared Source License. Six months later, with the release of Windows CE .NET, Microsoft tripled the amount of Windows CE source code made available to over 1.5 Million lines. Any developer is able to access this source by accepting the one-page Windows CE Shared Source License at the time of install of any version of Windows CE .NET. Developers can modify and redistribute the source for non-commercial purposes or use it as a reference for commercial purposes. The full license can be found on the Windows Embedded website.

Finally, there is NO CHARGE to anyone for accessing source code under ANY of the Shared Source licenses. Per our product licenses, companies that ship devices with Windows CE runtimes on them do pay a license fee to Microsoft, but this is independent of the Shared Source program.

Microsoft is committed to continuing to provide easy access to large portions of the Windows CE source code at no charge. However, we are always interested in feedback from developers on the Shared Source that we are making available. Given this, we invite you to use the forums on WindowsForDevices.com to discuss the Windows CE Shared Source Program.

Jason Demeny
Embedded Appliance and Platforms Group
Microsoft Corp.

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