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Smart move by MS

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billy_gates:
Most of you guys have probably heard of some of the XBox mods and hacks flying around.  Several are on sourceforge like www.xboxmediaplayer.com.  I was thinking that Microsoft sure is smart.  Eventually the XBox 2 will have all of these features.  And all of these apps are open source.  So microsoft basically let everyone do the work for them.  Now Microsoft really has to do very little programming.  Just make it so it works without the mod, or make the mod come in the xbox.  Since its open source there is no one to sue them for stealing code or not giving due credit.  Good Move Microsoft.

Not that I support this move, I just thought it was a smart one.  If I was put in the same position I would have made the decision.

ChakanTGM:
Doesn't work that way. You still have to comply with the author's wishes and you still have to give them credit.You can't take an unmodified and unoriginal work and call it your own.

billy_gates:

quote:Originally posted by ChakanTGM:
Doesn't work that way. You still have to comply with the author's wishes and you still have to give them credit.You can't take an unmodified and unoriginal work and call it your own.
--- End quote ---


I never said it was legal.  I said Microsoft can do it.  Just as they have done similar things with other companies and software.

ChakanTGM:
I wouldn't put it past them.

Calum:
they can't. it is illegal and they are too big to get out of the way of a lawsuit - and believe me the open source community would jump at the chance to sue microsoft. it's one thing legally ripping off code that's under BSD or XFree86 type licences and putting it in yr products, that's annoying but legal. it's another thing to rip of GPL stuff. that is cut and dried illegal and might be enough to put microsoft almost out of business if they get caught doing it.

i hope somebody at redmond is reading this although i know they know and hate this fact and have done for many years.

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