Linked by Amjith Ramanujam on Tue 18th Nov 2008 19:37 UTC, submitted by pablo_marx
"The Windows Research Kernel (WRK) packages core Windows XP x64 and Windows Server 2003 SP1 kernel source code with an environment for building and testing experimental versions of the Windows kernel for use in teaching and research."
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Member since:2005-11-11
Initial reaction:
[tinfoil hat]
Microsoft is doing this to expose as many up and coming students as possible to their kernel source so they can't work on ReactOS.
[/tinfoil hat]
But then there's this from the license:
You may use any information in intangible form that you remember after accessing the software. However, this right does not grant you a license to any of Microsoft's copyrights or patents for anything you might create using such information.
That's a pretty cool move, if I am reading that correctly.
Member since:2005-07-06
You may use any information in intangible form that you remember after accessing the software. However, this right does not grant you a license to any of Microsoft's copyrights or patents for anything you might create using such information.
What academic environment could possibly want to pick their way through that legalese?
Use any information in intangible form that you remember?
Does not grant you a license to any of Microsoft's copyrights or patents for anything you might create using such information? So Microsoft are trying to mire academic institutions down in acquiring some form of license for Microsoft's ideas for anything their students might create in the future that looks vaguely similar? That's the only way I can read that.
Member since:
2006-01-17
Nice to see this from MS. At this point they probably see there is nothing to hide in their kernel, nothing that major competitors already don't have (either implemented or in progress). Released information might help projects like ReactOS, too.
Although MS must be on the lookout for good kernel experts coming out of academic institutions, positive is that Microsoft isn't trying to push license terms that would prevent students from later working on another kernel.