Microsoft stomps on XDA developers

FLEXING ITS muscles, Microsoft has decided to stomp on an XDA application developers' group for publishing its software.

The group refers to the disputed code as 'ROM images'. It freely acknowledges the code is Volish, but feels it is virually impossible to develope for the XDA platform without it.

The outfit has in the past removed software which it found not to be in the public domain.

The group - forum.xda-developers.com - claims, "At present, both HTC and the MS developer programs for handheld devices sadly seem to ignore key needs of third-party developers."

It also points out that the normal product development cycle is such that by the time a phone hits the market the OEM is already spending 99.9 per cent of its resources on other phones.

Such arguments don't cut any mustard with Microsoft. An un-named employee is quoted as saying, "We have received feedback from several sources on the software hosted by XDA-developers, including mobile operators with customers requesting support on 'unofficial ROM images' and media agencies reporting on unreleased ROM versions to name a few.

"From this feedback, legal review of the sites content, and misconceptions; we concluded we should inform you of the actual Microsoft policies."

Which, of course, means: "Take the stuff down". Naturally, there's a petition against it here. It's already got over 1,500 signatures.

Cynics might suggest that the signature list is make a great marketing tool for rival smartphone software vendors seeking new talent. µ

L'INQ
XDA-Developers thread