Microsoft used GPL licensed code in their closed source tool - Page 2

BenderBendingRodriguez · #11 (**permalink**) 07-Nov-2009, 14:58

Good

We will see how it works out

Jonathan_R · #12 (**permalink**) 08-Nov-2009, 13:09

Microsoft replied to my email. My reply is in their email.

Quote:

SRX1116451012ID

On Sun, Nov 8, 2009 at 10:30, Microsoft Online Customer Service
<CNTUS.GNCS.NA.00.EN.TRA.BGL.CS.T02.CUS.00.WB@css.o ne.microsoft.com>
wrote:
> Hello Jonathan,
>
> Thank you for contacting Microsoft Customer Service.
>
> In order to investigate this issue further, please write back to us with the
> following information:
>
> - The Microsoft product / website in which the source code is used

Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool Microsoft Store: Download Manager Help
> - The exact code that you are referring to

ImageMaster
> - Any additional information that may apply
<snip...for personal info>
> I appreciate your patience and look forward to your reply with the above
> information.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Jimmy
> Microsoft Customer Service Representative
>
> If you have any feedback about your Online Customer Service experience,
> please send it to my manager, Justus Joy, by clicking the link below. Please
> be sure to include the name of my manager in the subject field.
> http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=6998852
>

BenderBendingRodriguez · #13 (**permalink**) 08-Nov-2009, 13:43

Now that is interesting

I am really curious how it will work out

techwiz03 · #14 (**permalink**) 08-Nov-2009, 17:10

My Gut response is "Smoke Screen", when dealing with big corporations that are being whistle blown on, it's prudent to give as much info to authorities that deal in such matters and allow them to investigate quietly and pounce when they have the ammunition. Microsoft has a large number of backdated open ended patents for circumventing just this sort of thing. Most already know about the mishapped tom-tom affair. A look into how M$ side stepped and got tom-tom to settle shows just to what extent M$ is willing to go to get their way.
I hope M$ if guilty on this case does get nailed, I also hope that bringing the matter to M$ attention doesn't give them and their $30000/hour lawyers something to do.

BrownieCat · #15 (**permalink**) 09-Nov-2009, 01:23

Actually, this news isn't that astonishing. Microsoft has a long history of illegal actions and copying ideas from other corporations, etc. Microsoft got the idea of a GUI from Apple. And Apple got it from Xerox

.

Apple sued MS for copying their ideas. Microsoft went away unharmed, but had to pay Apple lots of money.
Microsoft doesn't want others to see the code of any of their programs, so they'd do anything to make their software source code invisible, even if it involved violating a GPL law.

Jonathan_R · #16 (**permalink**) 09-Nov-2009, 13:11

Now their trying to send me to another department.

Quote:

On Sun, Nov 8, 2009 at 23:54, Microsoft Online Customer Service
<CNTUS.GNCS.NA.00.EN.TRA.BGL.CS.T02.CUS.00.WB@css.o ne.microsoft.com>
wrote:
> Hello Jonathan,
>
>
>
> Thank you for contacting Microsoft Customer Service.
>
>
>

> I appreciate you for writing back to us.
>
>
>
> Since the issue was found on Microsoft Store web link, I request you to
> contact Microsoft Store Help at 1-877-MYSTORE (877-696-7786).

No! you misunderstand. You said to provide the information as to the
product. I did, the only way I knew how. What? You have the product
and the code to that product.

How very kind of you to push this off to another department. Perhaps
what is needed is the legal department. This is a legal accusation, is
it not? I have come right out and called Microsoft on the carpet as it
were, for stealing code. Not just stealing code, but breaking a
license. I find it funny, that Microsoft, who has been called a
predatory monopoly by the Department of Justice, and has a rather long
history of stealing code and usually settling quietly out of court, is
still at it. Still stealing code. But this time it's an open source
project.

Now I used that link to only show the product. Period. Not to indicate
that this is where to buy, or where to download it. Now I have
included a nice picture for you. This picture shows the code of both
programs, side by side.

As I said before, I have already contacted the Department of Justice
and the Free Software Foundation, and alerted them to this.