Re:The Windows Driver Frameworks are on GitHub
by anon4 on Thursday March 19, 2015 @04:33AM
(#9230788)
I think we should stop speculating each OSS effort from Microsoft as a sign of weakness and/or desperation. They might eventually conclude that open-sourcing things makes them seem like losers, rather than strengthening developer relations, which is what they're really going for (among other things, I'm certain).
Re:The Windows Driver Frameworks are on GitHub
by threeseed on Thursday March 19, 2015 @03:43AM
(#9230686)
It's also a sign that Microsoft sees its future in services.
Which in that case means that protecting the former "company jewels" of Windows and Office ceases to be less important.
Re:The Windows Driver Frameworks are on GitHub
by cookiecaper on Thursday March 19, 2015 @04:08AM
(#9230740)
I don't think it's about Windows and Office becoming less important as concepts or products, but that their old sales channel and use cases are outmoded. Windows and Office will still be Microsoft's cash cows; they'll just collect the fees through Azure, OneDrive, and other software-as-a-service packages. Open-sourcing is about keeping Microsoft's platforms competitive so that people will rent Azure nodes.
Microsoft realized they were becoming to FOSS as OS X is to Windows and is trying to counteract that. Microsoft's vision is still valid; they want Microsoft technology running every computer in the world.
Re:The Windows Driver Frameworks are on GitHub
by wslh on Thursday March 19, 2015 @04:25AM
(#9230769)
Indeed it's clear that Office is very important, they are just unifying products and services. Now you have a unified subscription of $ 9.99 per month for Office 365 + Office Desktop Apps.
Re:The Windows Driver Frameworks are on GitHub
by ximeng on Thursday March 19, 2015 @04:04AM
(#9230729)
Didn't recognise SAL - assuming it is source annotation language:
https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~fp/courses/15122-f10/lectures/25-sal...
It looks like this can be used:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms182032(v=vs.110)....
Inside MSFT there used to be minimal credit for releasing source which was a strong inhibitor in the employee review process. And a gratuitously awkward internal process for open sourcing code with no path for accepting changes/contributions. Attitudes are definitely improving.
The major benefit of this particular move will be when you're working on Windows drivers - now you can see and completely grok what a piece of code does until it transitions into the kernel proper.