Microsoft Sings a New Tune—Wants to Play Nice With Open-Source

After years in denial, Microsoft has finally decided to stop trying to fight open-source software. In a series of moves announced today aimed at making its products more interoperable with other software and the Web in general, Microsoft is releasing 30,000 pages of documentation for Windows (both desktop and server products) that were previously available to partners only through a trade secret license. It is making available new licenses to a large number of its software patents “on reasonable and non-discriminatory terms, at low royalty rates.” While Microsoft is not open-sourcing its own software, it is taking dramatic steps to play nice with the open-source community. This is a complete 180-degree turn from its stance of the past. The broad set of interoperability principles it is announcing today will apply to the following products (including future versions): Windows Vista (including the .NET Framework), Windows Server 2008, SQL Server 2008, Office 2007, Exchange Server 2007, and Office SharePoint Server 2007.
http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/21/microsoft-sings-a-new-tune%e2%80%94wants-to-play-nice-with-open-source/

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2008/feb08/02-21ExpandInteroperabilityPR.mspx