Microsoft to Reveal Windows Code, UPDATED
Posted by me101 on 05 August 2002 - 17:43 · 8 comments & 147 views
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The software giant said the disclosures are part of its first steps to comply with the settlement that must still be approved by a federal judge and is still opposed by nine state attorneys general seeking stiffer sanctions.
Microsoft said it plans to disclose 385 bits of computer code and internal operating rules, previously kept secret, that outside software developers can use to write programs to run on Windows.
"With these new (disclosures), software developers will have additional development choices in designing their Windows programs," the company said in a statement.
Microsoft said in addition to 272 pieces of code it also would reveal 113 proprietary software "protocols" that computer server makers can license to make their machines work better with Windows desktops.
In a conference call with reporters, the company said new, uniform terms for the licensing of Windows went into effect Aug 1. The terms would apply to the top 20 computer makers and be offered to other manufacturers as well.
Microsoft also said upcoming updates of the new Windows XP operating system will allow computer makers and consumers to add and remove access to some Windows features such as Microsoft's Internet Explorer, Windows media player, and Outlook Express.
UPDATED...
Paul Thurrott, of Wininformant, has gotten info regarding SP1 release date and other details of this information.
Deliver Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) this summer. Smith said that the company is on track to ship SP1 this summer and later noted that the release will ship on or after August 28. XP SP1 includes a UI change that lets end users and PC makers hide access to five key middleware components--Internet Explorer (IE), Outlook Express, Windows Media Player (WMP), Windows Messenger, and Microsoft's Java Virtual Machine (VM). Based on feedback from beta testers, PC makers, and the DOJ, Microsoft will make additional changes to XP SP1 to make the product's middleware-hiding feature "even more clear to users."
Looks like there will be quite a lot of activity on or around the 28th August 2002... We'll have to wait and see...Disclose several internal interfaces, or APIs, in Windows. On August 28, Microsoft will publicly disclose more than 270 internal interfaces related to the five previously mentioned middleware components. Smith said that Windows uses these interfaces to trigger functionality that the middleware products expose. The company will release this information on the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN). "None of these interfaces have previously been disclosed," Smith said.