Windows Principles - Microsoft pledges allegiance to the United States of the Web
Summary: Microsoft has just announced a set of "Windows Principles" - aka "Twelve Tenets to Promote Competition". As the ZDNet news story put it: Microsoft vows to play fair.
Microsoft has just announced a set of "Windows Principles" - aka "Twelve Tenets to Promote Competition". As the ZDNet news story put it: Microsoft vows to play fair. The crux of it is that Microsoft pledges its future Windows desktop platform, starting with Windows Vista, will promote "computer manufacturer and user choice, opportunities for developers, and interoperability for users". Microsoft blogger Alex Barnett is tracking coverage of this.
I especially like number It's an acknowledgement that Microsoft understands the Web is the number 1 platform now - not the OS 6 about APIs. Microsoft is pledging more developer documentation for APIs, meaning "anything that Microsoft’s products can do in terms of how they plug into Windows, competing products will be able to do as well." This bodes well for its Vista and Live product line, because one key to success will be building an ecosystem of plug-ins and modules around those platforms. So it makes business sense, as well as... er, moral sense. Indeed Microsoft addresses Windows Live in number 7:
"Microsoft is contributing to innovation in the area of Internet services with services that we call Windows Live. Microsoft will design Windows Live as a product that is separate from Windows. Customers will be free to choose Windows with or without Windows Live."
This isn't really a surprise, as integrating Windows Live (Microsoft's set of web-based apps and services) into the OS in a closed way would be the death knell for Live. The Web is their platform now. So they need an external developer ecosystem - and associated user base - to grow around the Live platform.
It's good to see Microsoft come out with these principles. Cynics will suggest the proof will be in the pudding - i.e. let's wait and see what business practices Microsoft carries out in the coming years to ward off competitors like Firefox and Google. But at least announcing these principles is (among other things) an acknowledgement that Microsoft understands the Web is the number 1 platform now - not the OS.
Here are the main tenets (via CNET):
Choice for computer manufacturers and customers
1. Installation of any software
2. Easy access for software makers
3. Defaults for non-Microsoft programs
4. Exclusive promotion of non-Microsoft programs
5. Business terms (no retaliation against PC makers that support non-Microsoft software)
Opportunities for developers
6. Disclosure of APIs
7. Freedom of choice in Internet services
8. Open Internet access in Windows
9. No exclusivity in middleware contracts
Interoperability for users
10. Availability of communications protocols
11. Availability of Microsoft patents
12. Support for industry standards
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Talkback
The proof will be in the pudding.
Before everybody starts dancing in the streets, I suggest they read Dana Blankenhorn's latest:
http://blogs.zdnet.com/open-source/?p=716
And consider that their support for ODF is a third-party afterthought.
Interoperability? Yeah, right. Microsoft may be pledging allegiance, but they've got a lot to learn about citizenship.
Microsofts PR Nightmare
Only time will tell.
MS business practices have always been cheerfully amoral, so perhaps someone has determined that it is in MS's best interest to play nicely. On the other hand, a business relationship with MS has always been a dance with the devil.
MS often opens a door (as a lure to developers and other companies) only to slam it shut later. MS thus eliminates (or acquires at a discount) any smaller company that might have made money. Individual developers (and development teams within other companies) suffer the loss of time and money, but more importantly lose the market window for the opportunity they were chasing.
The cynic in me says this is yet another diversion or a trap. The skeptic says to wait and see.
Only time will tell.
I think you're reading into it ...
It makes no sence at all.
MS to build linux systems?!?
I'm also pretty sure Windows is an operating system as well, somewhat in competion with linux distros.
Perhaps you would agree that Ford should start making Toyotas.
That makes about as much sense....
Maybe I've been trolled, that's the only explanation I can think of for making such an incredibly rediculous statement, if so, you got me.
More for Consumers & Developers
Oh Please, know the tree by the fruit it bears
MS has finally realize that they cannot control the Internet, so there whats so great about that.
As far as compatibility and openess, come on, there's the US DEpartment of Justice case against MS and there's the EU case and there's the other little cases. They just keep piling up, haow long was it going to take MS to say they're going to play fair? How many more millions they are going to throw away?
It's not a Pledge to the Web, it's Public Relations.