4 ms·

Of course it's a PR trick, anyone with even the slightest experience in software development can figure out that it's a lot of work to open-source a larger proj

Of course it's a PR trick, anyone with even the slightest experience in software development can figure out that it's a lot of work to open-source a larger project. Also considering what's mentioned in the article, plenty of this code is probably still in use in later Windows versions which are still sold.

hobs 7y ago
If its a PR trick, its one that makes the FSF look stupid to anyone in the know, and a zealot to the rest of humanity. It's not a good call.
- mumblemumble 7y ago
  I don't know about stupid, but perhaps woefully out of touch. In 2020, they're still trying to fight fights from the 1990s, using tactics that haven't really worked since the 1990s.
  - squarefoot 7y ago
    Well, in 2020 people are more sensitive to privacy issues, malware and spyware are still much easier to hide in closed source software, and bugs are much easier to correct if one has the sources at hand, therefore I'd say the request would be even more legit today compared to the 90s. I however agree that's is not going to happen both because of the nightmare of relicensing 3rd party code, and because an OSS Win7 release with community updates and security patches (no telemetry) would probably displace a good number of Windows 10 installs in short time.
    - mumblemumble 7y ago
      Absolutely. But, even if you frame it that way, asking Microsoft to open source Windows 7 feels like trying to take a 2020 concern and approach it as if we were still back in 1999. If closed source software that talks to the Internet is an inherent privacy risk, let's maybe start by focusing on Google Chrome and Android, which have access to much bigger pots of honey than Windows itself does these days.
      - zozbot234 7y ago
        Both Google Chrome and Android have open source releases.
        mumblemumble 7y ago
        Their existence doesn't do much to alleviate privacy concerns circling the closed-source bits of the versions of those apps that basically everyone is using, though. In short, this seems to be one of those spots where all the FSF has is a hammer.
- Teever 7y ago
  Pish-Posh. If Microsoft was as dedicated to open source as their recent PR pivot and thrust has lead us to think then they would have no problem taking on this monumental task. this 'stupid' PR move from the FSF is only a response to a similiar PR move from MS.
  - Delmania 7y ago
    You miss the point where Microsoft would have to acquire those licenses or release a half finished system. What value proposition is there for them to do it?
    - unapologetic 7y ago
      If Windows 10 is really evergreen then they could do it over the course of years.
- HeadsUpHigh 7y ago
  About as stupid as microsoft "loving" linux.
  - TomMarius 7y ago
    What is stupid about Microsoft loving Linux? A large portion of their business offering is built on Linux.
    - unapologetic 7y ago
      Seriously. You don't have to trust microsoft to realize that their linux interest is genuine. It's just smart business.
      - chameleon_world 7y ago
        Yeah but I want to make fun of a huge corporation for fakely supporting something only a small minority of us computer elite use
        TomMarius 7y ago
        You mean the OS that powers most of servers and mobile phones in the world, which is the (very real and pragmatic) reason for Microsoft's support?
    - HeadsUpHigh 7y ago
      It's disingenuous. It's pure business made to be something more than that. Meanwhile they are still progressing as expected with invading privacy and taking away control on their consumer offerings.
JoelTheSuperior 7y ago
A few years ago I was considering open sourcing a small app I had developed a few years ago. Turns out it'd actually require a lot of work to remove dependencies on other libraries I'd used.

hobs 7y ago

If its a PR trick, its one that makes the FSF look stupid to anyone in the know, and a zealot to the rest of humanity. It's not a good call.

mumblemumble 7y ago
I don't know about stupid, but perhaps woefully out of touch. In 2020, they're still trying to fight fights from the 1990s, using tactics that haven't really worked since the 1990s.
- squarefoot 7y ago
  Well, in 2020 people are more sensitive to privacy issues, malware and spyware are still much easier to hide in closed source software, and bugs are much easier to correct if one has the sources at hand, therefore I'd say the request would be even more legit today compared to the 90s. I however agree that's is not going to happen both because of the nightmare of relicensing 3rd party code, and because an OSS Win7 release with community updates and security patches (no telemetry) would probably displace a good number of Windows 10 installs in short time.
  - mumblemumble 7y ago
    Absolutely. But, even if you frame it that way, asking Microsoft to open source Windows 7 feels like trying to take a 2020 concern and approach it as if we were still back in 1999. If closed source software that talks to the Internet is an inherent privacy risk, let's maybe start by focusing on Google Chrome and Android, which have access to much bigger pots of honey than Windows itself does these days.
    - zozbot234 7y ago
      Both Google Chrome and Android have open source releases.
      - mumblemumble 7y ago
        Their existence doesn't do much to alleviate privacy concerns circling the closed-source bits of the versions of those apps that basically everyone is using, though. In short, this seems to be one of those spots where all the FSF has is a hammer.
Teever 7y ago
Pish-Posh. If Microsoft was as dedicated to open source as their recent PR pivot and thrust has lead us to think then they would have no problem taking on this monumental task. this 'stupid' PR move from the FSF is only a response to a similiar PR move from MS.
- Delmania 7y ago
  You miss the point where Microsoft would have to acquire those licenses or release a half finished system. What value proposition is there for them to do it?
  - unapologetic 7y ago
    If Windows 10 is really evergreen then they could do it over the course of years.
HeadsUpHigh 7y ago
About as stupid as microsoft "loving" linux.
- TomMarius 7y ago
  What is stupid about Microsoft loving Linux? A large portion of their business offering is built on Linux.
  - unapologetic 7y ago
    Seriously. You don't have to trust microsoft to realize that their linux interest is genuine. It's just smart business.
    - chameleon_world 7y ago
      Yeah but I want to make fun of a huge corporation for fakely supporting something only a small minority of us computer elite use
      - TomMarius 7y ago
        You mean the OS that powers most of servers and mobile phones in the world, which is the (very real and pragmatic) reason for Microsoft's support?
  - HeadsUpHigh 7y ago
    It's disingenuous. It's pure business made to be something more than that. Meanwhile they are still progressing as expected with invading privacy and taking away control on their consumer offerings.

JoelTheSuperior 7y ago

A few years ago I was considering open sourcing a small app I had developed a few years ago. Turns out it'd actually require a lot of work to remove dependencies on other libraries I'd used.