Microsoft recognises the benefits of open source but is not prepared to turn over its Windows operating system to the paradigm. Instead, Microsoft provides access to source code on a limited basis.
Jason Matusow, manager of Microsoft"s Shared Source Initiative, was speaking at the Open Source Business Conference in San Francisco yesterday.
"We"re not open-sourcing all Microsoft technologies. We"ll be strategic in how we share that," he said.
Windows source will be provided under a "reference grant", not an open-source licence. Code can be looked at but not modified. Microsoft has a business interest around the sale of Windows and "the integrity of the OS is critical", Matusow said, adding that very few developers want to modify source code anyway.
Educational and research users, however, may modify Windows source code they have through a research grant. Microsoft does allow companies such as Intel and Hitachi alter source code for the Windows CE platform and distribute them.