New Interoperability Hope

Richard Sharpe sharpe at ns.aus.com
Fri Nov 2 12:21:05 GMT 2001


Don't get your hopes up.

Reasonable and Non-Discriminatory is MS-speak for: "You pay us a big fat 
licence fee, and we won't discriminate against you!"

Michael B. Allen wrote:

> Anyone speak legalese? Does this mean we could finally get the IDL proper
> for talking to the domain, exchange server, ADSI, etc? If so, I think
> we should find out who to contact and politely approch them about it.
> 
> Mike
> 
> --8<--
> 
> Some important snipplets:
> 
> E. Starting nine months after the submission of this proposed Final
> Judgment to the Court, Microsoft shall make available for use by third
> parties, for the sole purpose of interoperating with a Windows Operating
> System Product, on reasonable and non-discriminatory terms (consistent
> with Section III.I), any Communications Protocol that is, on or after
> the date this Final Judgment is submitted to the Court, (i) implemented
> in a Windows Operating System Product installed on a client computer,
> and (ii) used to interoperate natively (i.e., without the addition of
> software code to the client or server operating system products) with
> Windows 2000 Server or products marketed as its successors installed on
> a server computer.
> 
> ...
> 
> J. No provision of this Final Judgment shall:
> 
>      1. Require Microsoft to document, disclose or license to third
>      parties: (a) portions of APIs or Documentation or portions or layers
>      of Communications Protocols the disclosure of which would compromise
>      the security of anti-piracy, anti-virus, software licensing, digital
>      rights management, encryption or authentication systems, including
>      without limitation, keys, authorization tokens or enforcement
>      criteria; or (b) any API, interface or other information related
>      to any Microsoft product if lawfully directed not to do so by a
>      governmental agency of competent jurisdiction.
> 
>      2. Prevent Microsoft from conditioning any license of any API,
>      Documentation or Communications Protocol related to anti-piracy
>      systems, anti-virus technologies, license enforcement mechanisms,
>      authentication/authorization security, or third party intellectual
>      property protection mechanisms of any Microsoft product to any
>      person or entity on the requirement that the licensee: (a) has no
>      history of software counterfeiting or piracy or willful violation
>      of intellectual property rights, (b) has a reasonable business
>      need for the API, Documentation or Communications Protocol for
>      a planned or shipping product, (c) meets reasonable, objective
>      standards established by Microsoft for certifying the authenticity
>      and viability of its business, (d) agrees to submit, at its own
>      expense, any computer program using such APIs, Documentation or
>      Communication Protocols to third-party verification, approved by
>      Microsoft, to test for and ensure verification and compliance with
>      Microsoft specifications for use of the API or interface, which
>      specifications shall be related to proper operation and integrity
>      of the systems and mechanisms identified in this paragraph.
> 
> ...
> 
> B. "Communications Protocol" means the set of rules for information
> exchange to accomplish predefined tasks between a Windows Operating
> System Product on a client computer and Windows 2000 Server or products
> marketed as its successors running on a server computer and connected
> via a local area network or a wide area network. These rules govern the
> format, semantics, timing, sequencing, and error control of messages
> exchanged over a network. Communications Protocol shall not include
> protocols used to remotely administer Windows 2000 Server and products
> marketed as its successors.
> 
> 
> 


-- 
Richard Sharpe, rsharpe at ns.aus.com, LPIC-1
www.samba.org, www.ethereal.com, SAMS Teach Yourself Samba
in 24 Hours, Special Edition, Using Samba





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