Asp source code

Microsoft has posted the source code for version 3.0 of its Windows CE embedded OS on its website. It is available to anyone with an evaluation copy of the Platform Builder software. The move effectively lets prospective customers look at the source before taking out a full license.

The move follows a May speech made by Craig Mundie, Microsoft senior vice-president, that criticized open source trends. He said then that the company would make the OS code available to developers through what Microsoft calls "shared source".

Originally, the source code could only be accessed by developers with a full copy of Platform Builder 3.0, the toolkit used to customize Windows CE for embedded designs. Evaluation copies of the software can now be used to download the 5Mbyte of source files.

The license that goes with the code allows developers to only view the code for debugging purposes. It does not allow any modifications to be distributed in a commercial product but they can be used internally or educationally.

Anyone bringing a patent suit against Microsoft will void their rights to use the source code.

The code can be found at: www.microsoft.com/windows/embedded/ce/ tools/source/default.asp

Copyright ?? 2004 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in PC Magazine.