Microsoft Becomes Apache Open Source Backer
The move, announced at this week's O'Reilly Open Source Convention in Portland, Ore., marks the first time Microsoft has contributed to the Apache organization.
Microsoft has been adopting a more open development process in recent years, including making proprietary APIs for some of its products open to third-party developers, after coming under fire from regulators for its closed development efforts. The company's previous approach also made it a favorite target for proponents of Linux and other open-source software.
Microsoft is donating code to a PHP project called ADOdb that provides a way for applications written using the open-source multiple databases. The code Microsoft is offering will allow ADOdb to natively communicate with Microsoft's SQL Server database driver.
Microsoft also pledged at the conference to provide royalty-free specifications for Windows Server and .NET framework protocols.