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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