- Saturday, 28 November 2009
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We've got a number of tools in our armoury [Not weapons? Ed.] - Hazel Lewis - UK government minister
Microsoft does the Samba
OPEN-SAUCE outfit the Samba project has had a look under the bonnet of Microsoft's Windows software, as the EC anti-trust regulator looked threateningly on this week.
The EC has demanded the Vole allow third-party access to its software as part of an anti-trust ruling. Microsoft has been as reluctant to do this as a Wildebeest stripper doing her act before a pride of drunken lions.
It has demanded that anyone looking at the documentation sign a complicated agreement which prevents its wonderful proprietary software being nicked.
It has a special problem with Samba which lets Unix or Linux servers behave like Windows machines.
Now it appears that the Samba team has worked out a deal that makes a Vole happy. It will pay Microsoft 10,000 euros for documentation that will be shared under a nondisclosure agreement.
Samba programmers can write code based on the documentation but cannot share the information. The Vole has promised to update the material on a regular basis.
According to News.com Samba leader Jeremy Allison seems to be echoing Slade saying he feels like breaking into song and shouting "its Christmas."
He said Samba will be able to provide full support for Microsoft's Active Directory, encrypted files, a better search interface, and support for "SMB2," a new version of Microsoft's Server Message Block protocol. ยต
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So they're paying for documentation?

Is there anything from stopping them writing new documentation which can be released under the GNU FDL?

I suppose this way too they can't be accused of using M$ source code in Samba.

Rob
So the Samba team are having to pay Microsoft so that Microsoft dont break the law.....
I Hope some hack nicks the source code and lets it go on the net. Now that would be interesting to read about.
If they are allow to write source based on Microsoft documentation, just put LOADS of very verbose comments in the source. That way every one get the information that they without having to see the Microsoft documentation
actually.
As a long time observer of Microsoft is simple MMM= Money Making Machine.

The main reason why MS holds onto their IP like there is no tomorrow is because it's a cash cow. No manufacturing goes into IP only a copy/past which they don't need much more then a slightly advanced monkey to do it for them. IP is the best system to make a fortuned.