4 ms·

Google is not open-sourcing software core to their business. None of it. So your request to open-source Windows and pointing to Google as an example to follow i

Google is not open-sourcing software core to their business. None of it. So your request to open-source Windows and pointing to Google as an example to follow is ridiculous at least.

sounds 13y ago
Google uses Linux on the bulk of their machines and actively contributes to the Linux kernel.
- sz4kerto 13y ago
  I said core business. Don't know why is it so difficult to read the whole comment, it wasn't long. If Google wanted to, they could migrate to FreeBSD quite quickly and you would not notice too much. Google's core products are: Plus, Hangouts, Chrome, Search, Docs, Mail, and all these products on Android. They're the same to Google as Windows is to Microsoft. Yes, Android is open source, the rest aren't. And what consumers call Android is not free/libre either. I have no problem with that, and I'm not criticizing Google, just saying, that companies very rarely open source their core business stuff.
  - nl 13y ago
    Chromium is open source (and Chrome is just Chromium tied into Google services). Your point is valid though.
  - frou_dh 13y ago
    Presumably those big online services expect to be run on top of Google's backends rather than my garden variety VPS, so what it would mean to package them for open source release isn't clear.
rdtsc 13y ago
> Google is not open-sourcing software core to their business. None of it. So your request to open-source Windows and pointing to Google as an example to follow is ridiculous at least. Android's core is open source. So MS would have no problem releasing their source to Bing ?
- yread 13y ago
  > Android's core is open source. > So MS would have no problem releasing their source to Bing ? What is the line from Android to Bing? Does google open source google? gmail? Asking for open sourcing WinCE or NT kernel would be a valid point. Both are products that date from ~20 years ago so it's probably not gonna happen. EDIT: also Android is based on Linux code. It would be illegal to distribute it without source
  - bad_user 13y ago
    Android is based on the Linux kernel. User-land is not required to be open-source. Dalvik, Android's SDK, all user-land libraries, the whole of open-source Android is not required to be open-source. You may notice that the license is Apache 2.0, a license that's incompatible with GPL v.2 ;-) > What is the line from Android to Bing? Does google open source google? gmail? The line is that Bing is not core to Microsoft, but complementary, so why not open-source the technology behind it? In fact, Bing is even less important for Microsoft, than Android is to Google, because Android for Google is their insurance that they'll stay relevant in this mobiles connected world. Without Android, Google would be at the mercy of the various walled gardens that popped into existence, a trend started by Apple ... quick question, can you set Google as your search provider on Windows Phone? Maybe you can, but I can't do it on my Nokia Lumia. There is no way to make that search button open Google and the option in IExplorer doesn't work. Open-sourcing Bing would be great for everybody, including Microsoft, just like when Yahoo open-sourced Hadoop. Yet, they won't do it - because they are the same bastards, that's why.
    - yread 13y ago
      > The line is that Bing is not core to Microsoft, but complementary, so why not open-source the technology behind it? Fair enough. It is a server software, though. How much server software do companies usually opensource? The point that Android as a whole doesn't have to be open source is true. But how much linux- (or other opensource) based software does MS distribute where it open sources only the needed parts? None, AFAIK. So none of its products are in a similar position. It does distribute sources with plenty of their proprietary software, though. Admittedly, for many it does it only because it has to to stay relevant. People want to fiddle with the sources of their web stack. In short, yes, they are bastards, just as any other for profit company. Oh and for the search you have to jail break WP7, in WP8 it is possible http://www.nokia.com/gb-en/support/faq/?action=singleTopic&topic=FA139224 http://www.nokia.com/gb-en/support/faq/?action=singleTopic&t...

Google is not open-sourcing software core to their business. None of it. So your request to open-source Windows and pointing to Google as an example to follow is ridiculous at least.

sounds 13y ago

Google uses Linux on the bulk of their machines and actively contributes to the Linux kernel.

sz4kerto 13y ago
I said core business. Don't know why is it so difficult to read the whole comment, it wasn't long. If Google wanted to, they could migrate to FreeBSD quite quickly and you would not notice too much. Google's core products are: Plus, Hangouts, Chrome, Search, Docs, Mail, and all these products on Android. They're the same to Google as Windows is to Microsoft. Yes, Android is open source, the rest aren't. And what consumers call Android is not free/libre either. I have no problem with that, and I'm not criticizing Google, just saying, that companies very rarely open source their core business stuff.
- nl 13y ago
  Chromium is open source (and Chrome is just Chromium tied into Google services). Your point is valid though.
- frou_dh 13y ago
  Presumably those big online services expect to be run on top of Google's backends rather than my garden variety VPS, so what it would mean to package them for open source release isn't clear.

rdtsc 13y ago

> Google is not open-sourcing software core to their business. None of it. So your request to open-source Windows and pointing to Google as an example to follow is ridiculous at least. Android's core is open source. So MS would have no problem releasing their source to Bing ?

yread 13y ago
> Android's core is open source. > So MS would have no problem releasing their source to Bing ? What is the line from Android to Bing? Does google open source google? gmail? Asking for open sourcing WinCE or NT kernel would be a valid point. Both are products that date from ~20 years ago so it's probably not gonna happen. EDIT: also Android is based on Linux code. It would be illegal to distribute it without source
- bad_user 13y ago
  Android is based on the Linux kernel. User-land is not required to be open-source. Dalvik, Android's SDK, all user-land libraries, the whole of open-source Android is not required to be open-source. You may notice that the license is Apache 2.0, a license that's incompatible with GPL v.2 ;-) > What is the line from Android to Bing? Does google open source google? gmail? The line is that Bing is not core to Microsoft, but complementary, so why not open-source the technology behind it? In fact, Bing is even less important for Microsoft, than Android is to Google, because Android for Google is their insurance that they'll stay relevant in this mobiles connected world. Without Android, Google would be at the mercy of the various walled gardens that popped into existence, a trend started by Apple ... quick question, can you set Google as your search provider on Windows Phone? Maybe you can, but I can't do it on my Nokia Lumia. There is no way to make that search button open Google and the option in IExplorer doesn't work. Open-sourcing Bing would be great for everybody, including Microsoft, just like when Yahoo open-sourced Hadoop. Yet, they won't do it - because they are the same bastards, that's why.
  - yread 13y ago
    > The line is that Bing is not core to Microsoft, but complementary, so why not open-source the technology behind it? Fair enough. It is a server software, though. How much server software do companies usually opensource? The point that Android as a whole doesn't have to be open source is true. But how much linux- (or other opensource) based software does MS distribute where it open sources only the needed parts? None, AFAIK. So none of its products are in a similar position. It does distribute sources with plenty of their proprietary software, though. Admittedly, for many it does it only because it has to to stay relevant. People want to fiddle with the sources of their web stack. In short, yes, they are bastards, just as any other for profit company. Oh and for the search you have to jail break WP7, in WP8 it is possible http://www.nokia.com/gb-en/support/faq/?action=singleTopic&topic=FA139224 http://www.nokia.com/gb-en/support/faq/?action=singleTopic&t...