Microsoft Expands Access To Shared Source Program

According to information posted on a Microsoft Web site Monday, MVP participants living in 27 eligible countries are now able to access source code to a number of Microsoft products free of charge. Eligible products include the Windows 2000 and XP operating systems, Windows Server 2003, Visual Studio .NET and ASP .NET. The program also includes related software releases, such as service packs and betas.

Under the terms of the Source Licensing Program, participants are allowed to view selected Microsoft source code, but they may not modify, compile or distribute the code.

Microsoft MVPs are third-party professionals selected for their technical knowledge and their willingness to assist other Microsoft users. There are currently more than 2,700 developers in the program, although not all MVP members are residents of countries eligible to participate in the Source Licensing Program.

Microsoft also announced this week that it had expanded its source code licensing terms for the Windows CE 5.0 operating system. In addition to providing access to Windows CE code under its Source Licensing Program, Microsoft will also allow hardware OEMs to ship products using derivative versions of Windows CE without having to seek prior approval or submit the derivative code.

Microsoft launched its Shared Source Initiative in early 2001, giving selected enterprise customers, government organizations, developers and researchers partial access to source code. The company maintains strict control over eligibility for the program as well as over which code it releases to participants.

This story courtesy of Developer Pipeline.