Microsoft wins Open Source Product Excellence Awards

[Refalm]

quote:http://newsforge.com/newsforge/03/01/25/167242.shtml?tid=23: Now that we've got that out of the way, let's talk about the "Best System Integration Software" LinuxWorld award Microsoft's "Services for Unix 3.0" won. There is huge irony here, and you ought to enjoy it and congratulate Microsoft instead of complaining.

Take a look at Microsoft's pricing and licensing page for this product. See the "GPL Utility Source Code" box in the right column? That's right. Despite Microsoft's endless anti-GPL talk, Microsoft is actively distributing GNU/GPL code.

More information

[cahult]

As my sig once read: Irony, not always funny, but ironic!

This is really funny! How can M

[Calum]

quote:Despite Microsoft's endless anti-GPL talk, Microsoft is actively distributing GNU/GPL code.

still, i'm very confused here.

[xyle_one]

quote: And what could be more positive, in the GNU/GPL activism sense, than pointing out that Microsoft, itself, sells GPL software?

wait, what?? sells GPL software? isnt that illegal? wtf

[flap]

No, it's not illegal. As long as they comply with the GPL's terms.

[Refalm]

quote:ecsyle_one: wait, what?? sells GPL software? isnt that illegal? wtf

GPL and Open Source are not equal to paying $ 0.00 for a program...

[choasforages]

it looks kindov interesting. and they are obeying the gpl on this. or at least it appears so. i wanna test this out and order the $20 cd. if i can get the cd easily and it contians to the source to the programs being sold, i have no problem with then doing that. infact, i encourage them to use more gpl code and obey the gpl. but this is microsoft so something is probably fishy

[flap]

Actually the cd doesn't have to contain the source.

[choasforages]

if it is label'd as the source cd, and they have a cd with biniary's and i pay 20 it had bettered damned contain the source

[flap]

Oh yes sorry, I misread your post. I thought you were saying they had to include the source on any cd containing the binaries.

[mobrien_12]

To be GPL, the source must be freely available if you sell binaries.  You don't necessarily have to put it on the same CD as the binaries, but if someone asks, you have to give him/her the source at no extra charge (not including small charges for say, materials and shipping).

[choasforages]

and the source cd was labeled at 20 and the bin's were hundreds or so

[SAJChurchey]

They probably took the code off some other open source project that they couldn't exactly "steal" from and wound up having to offer IT under GPL, too.  M$ probably had every intention of making it proprietary.

Just speculation, but "stealing" open source code might be something M$ thought about

And if M$ "modified" it; once the source code is given to the right person, they're probably going to be hacked left and right.

[ January 30, 2003: Message edited by: SAJChurchey ]

[Pantso]

quote:Originally posted by ecsyle_one:

wait, what?? sells GPL software? isnt that illegal? wtf

Nope, that is definitely not illegal. When you license your software under the GNU/GPL, that does definitely not mean that you can't charge for it. You can charge for it as long as you provide the source code along with the binaries. In return, those who wish to modify the source, improve it etc have to announce those changes as well etc etc, something which the fsf also calls ironically copyleft.

[xyle_one]

quote:Originally posted by Panos:


Nope, that is definitely not illegal. When you license your software under the GNU/GPL, that does definitely not mean that you can't charge for it. You can charge for it as long as you provide the source code along with the binaries. In return, those who wish to modify the source, improve it etc have to announce those changes as well etc etc, something which the fsf also calls ironically copyleft.

i didnt read the article very carefully    
thanks everyone, for clearing that up. i wasnt really paying much attention to the article. it is quite interesting that M$ is playing fair with this. at least so far. wierd days