System Integrators Get to Peek at Windows Source Code

by Kristin Palitza

The program is mainly targeted at appeasing critics of Microsoft's monopoly status and its proprietary products. At the same time, Microsoft will certainly not give away the core of its Windows source code, which the open source community does. The software giant called its SSI a "balanced approach that makes source code more broadly available while preserving the intellectual property rights." More than 150 large systems integrators that will be able to peek at Windows code as part of the expanded project will only be able to refer to Windows code but cannot change or redistribute it.

Microsoft stresses the difference between shared source code and open source code. It decided to only share its code instead of opening it up, because it claims "very few" of the users in its Windows customer base desires to modify code anyway. "They felt very strongly that the code was Microsoft's responsibility," SSI product manager Jason Matusow said. "Microsoft is committed to protecting the integrity of the code base and the operating system, and the SSI helps accomplish that while increasing the transparency of the code."

Microsoft further argued that for security reasons it remains "steadfast in making sure the code doesn't fall into the hands of people with malicious intent."

Microsoft proclaims that sharing its code has little to do with fighting open source, but mainly with bringing new benefit to its customers. "By sharing our source code [...] with our partners, we are committing our [...] intellectual property to the belief that a vibrant and integrated software ecosystem is critical to the future of our global economy and IT performance," said Craig Mundie, Microsoft senior vice president and chief technology officer of advanced strategies. Mundie's statement is a major turn-around in Microsoft's strategy. Not even a year ago, Mundie harshly criticized the open source movement, saying it threatens developers' intellectual property and results in weak, unstable, and non-secure products, during his speech at the New York University's Stern School of Business.

The strategic U-turn might be based on the public credibility open source developers, such as Linux, gained in the near past. When Microsoft heavily berated open source developers in the past, it pushed unintentionally many of its rivals towards open source, and the movement gained weight over time. Now, Microsoft sends out a new message--it is pro-shared source, but not against open source. "Both models have merits," Matusow said.

Matusow said Microsoft chose to share its source code with systems integrators, since it "is the most practical step to take, because it will enable them to use the code to its fullest capabilities." Some systems integrators, such as Compaq Global Services and Avanade, said the expanded SSI will make it easier for them to implement Windows-based technology into existing systems because access to Windows source code will improve interoperability. They also believe that Windows operating system and application deployments will be more secure because they have better knowledge of the Windows code. "Having increased access to Microsoft's code base means they [partners] can respond more thoroughly and more quickly to a broader set of questions and problems," Matusow added.

Currently, Microsoft partners can access source code of Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server .NET, Windows CE 3.0, and Windows CE .NET. Microsoft said it plans to extend the initiative to many other of its product groups.

Since Microsoft brought to life its SSI ten months ago, it is sharing more than 1.5 million lines of code for Windows CE. "When we first started offering access to the code base for Windows CE 3.0, we experienced 23,000 downloads in the first six months. With Windows CE .NET there were more than 32,000 downloads in the first four weeks of the program, and over 50 percent of the downloads are being used actively," Matusow claimed.

Apart from its shared source project, Microsoft will have to show parts of its code it would rather keep secret. A federal judge told the giant is has to expose parts of its Windows source code, including XP and XP Embedded, to nine litigating states and the District of Columbia. The states had access to some Windows source code during the liability and settlement phases of Microsoft's ongoing antitrust lawsuit trial.

In November, the Justice Department and nine states settled with Microsoft, while nine other states and the District of Columbia continued their litigation to restrict Microsoft's software products.

Access to the newest version of Windows means that Microsoft has to let people review one of the backbones of its Web services strategy, where it faces tough competition from the Java-based technology developers, such as IBM, Oracle and Sun Microsystems. The states will only be able to access parts of the source code, and there will be rules for how to examine the code. Nonetheless, Microsoft fears that competitors who are on the side of the nine states and the District of Columbia--such as AOL Time Warner and Oracle--might gain access to XP source code. The states believe the embedded version of Windows XP is particularly easy to customize. Microsoft has stated that the two parties will work together on a protective order governing the use of the code.

The states demanded to access the source code because they want Microsoft to sell a stripped-down Windows version, excluding middleware components, such as Web browsing, instant messaging, and media playback. The slim version should be a remedy against Microsoft's antitrust violations. Microsoft, however, says such a version is technically impossible. It particularly claims that the code for Internet Explorer is a fundamental part of the Windows OS code.

Lee Hollaar, a computer science professor at the University of Utah School of Computing in Salt Lake City will inspect the Windows source code together with a group of unnamed experts. The group will decide whether Microsoft's claim that its operating system and middleware components are too closely integrated to be separated is true or not. Hollaar is also the leading technical expert for the nine states taking part in the antitrust case against Microsoft.

Microsoft tried to fight the states' request for access to the code, arguing it was made after a December 2001 deadline for document requests, but U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, who is handling the appeal of the Microsoft case, made her decision in favor of the states. Kollar-Kotelly will hold a hearing on March 6 as part of her evaluation whether the settlement agreed by Microsoft and the U.S. Department of Justice is in public interest. She has indicated she will not rule on the settlement before the remedy hearing commences March 11.

The hearing follows 60 days of public comment over the settlement proposal, which concluded on January 28 with about half the 30,000 comments speaking against the settlement. The Justice Department posted 47 of the most thorough comments, including those from the fiercest Microsoft rivals such as AOL Time Warner, Sun Microsystems, Palm, as well as from consumer advocate Ralph Nader.