As program manager of the Shared Source Initiative at Microsoft, Jason Matusow is responsible for coordinating Microsoft' global source licensing strategy. ZDNet UK caught up with him.
Q: Just over a year ago, Microsoft senior vice president Craig Mundie made his infamous comments about open source. Since then, Microsoft has been rolling out its Shared Source Initiative. How do you rationalize your Shared Source Initiative with Microsoft's views on open source?
A: One unfortunate thing we did was coming out against open source--we knew it would be controversial. There is a longstanding industry debate around source code and what role it plays. IT professionals have one point of view, developers have another, business decision makers have yet another and then hobbyists come at it from an entirely different direction again.
For a long time we were held up as being anti-open source. But the idea of Shared Source came about because of customers telling us: "I am able to do some things in open source because I have access to the source code, and I would like to be able to do the same thing with your code."
Why does the White House refuse to tell Microsoft to get tough on security? On Wednesday, the Bush administration is scheduled to publish its proposal to increase the security of the Internet. Properly titled the "National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace," it's said to talk with great earnestness about helping home users safeguard their computers, about thwarting online intrusions into business systems, and about providing better training to federal network administrators. But, according to people familiar with the draft report, it pays scant attention to Microsoft, which has been responsible for more online security woes than any other company in history.
Such an absence would be glaring. Intentional design choices and unintentional bugs in Microsoft Windows, Outlook, Word and Explorer have created vulnerabilities so numerous they've become legendary. Shoddy default settings have practically begged intruders to plunder Windows-equipped PCs. Any serious look at Internet security has to start with the world's largest software company.
China thinks Microsoft software contains secretly embedded code that the United States government can manipulate at will. So, in case of war between the two countries, a Pentagon official can hit a switch and--presto!--cripple China's computing infrastructure. A senior Microsoft executive, who often confers with the Chinese (sorry, no names), told me this tale. I thought he was joking. He wasn't. Some people in the Chinese government actually believe it's true.
I'm sure this type of functionality is cheaper than ordering in a bevy of B2 bombers. While Microsoft may be a predatory monopolist and the U.S. government sometimes does goofy stuff--getting Fidel Castro's beard to fall out with secret powder is my particular favorite--the image of Bill Gates getting his marching orders from President George Bush just doesn't compute.
Microsoft, which operates an important research lab in China, may not be especially concerned. Chairman Bill Gates still gets all the face time he wants with the Chinese leadership, while his company continues to view the country as a market with huge potential.
In Microsoft's vision of the future, broader acceptance of powerful handheld devices will lead to a steady flow of useful information to consumers no matter where they are. Microsoft's chief technology officer, Craig Mundie, predicts a period of dramatic innovation for the computer industry after more than a year of relatively staid performance.
In a meeting Thursday with reporters and editors from The Associated Press, Mundie hailed agreements by technology companies on a common Internet programming language, along with the increasing popularity of powerful handheld computers and other "intelligent devices." These range from automotive computers to a new tablet-style computer that students and others can use for handwritten notes and research.
Microsoft laid out its plan Wednesday for expanding its reach in the business applications market, with a software suite meant to help companies do everything from cut paychecks to ring up customers at the checkout counter. Over the next 12 months, Microsoft plans to release five new sets of business applications, adding to the bookkeeping software it already sells through its Great Plains division. By year's end the company will release three of them, said Tami Reller, vice president for Microsoft Business Solutions.
One set is aimed at helping service companies better use their employees time and skills. Another set is designed to help retailers track inventory and gather point-of-sale information. Microsoft gained the latter set of applications in May with the acquisition of Sales Management Systems.
I've been using Windows XP as my main desktop operating system for about a year now. I'm really very happy with it, as are most XP users I know. It's probably the best job Microsoft has ever done on a desktop OS. However, there are some things that could have been done better. One year later--especially now that Service Pack 1 has been released--it's worth looking at what Microsoft could have done better, though I don't think any of the flaws are crucial.
Anyone who has set up a Windows XP system has surely learned to hate the "notification area" messages that nag you about setting up a Passport and taking the Windows XP tour. Those of us who install a lot of Windows XP systems have learned to hate them a lot. They may still exist in the SP1 version of Windows XP, but I hope not. I know of no way to disable them, and they really ought not to come back when you close them the first time.
Microsoft's entry into the networking business has been one of the worst kept secrets of summer. But yesterday's announcement made it official: Over the coming weeks, Microsoft's first 802.11b wireless networking hardware kits will be hitting a store shelf near you. As you'd expect from a software giant that's getting into the hardware business, Microsoft is emphasizing ease of installation and ease of use. The good news is that, if you're used to Windows-style wizards, especially in Windows XP, configuring your new wireless network shouldn't be even remotely intimidating. Prices for the Microsoft products are certainly competitive with other 802.11b alternatives: The MN-500 Wireless Base Station is expected to sell for around $150.
A consortium of Microsoft foes accused the Redmond, Washington-based software giant of once again violating antitrust laws on the same day that a Silicon Valley digital rights management firm sued the company for patent infringement.
But a Microsoft spokesperson disputed Procomp's accusations, at least with respect to Windows Media Player and the much-anticipated new version of its Windows OS. Spokesperson Jim Cullinan told reporters that these latest charges are "the reverse" of the government's argument with regard to its Internet Explorer Web browser. "I wish folks would make up their minds about what position they're going to take on this," said Cullinan.
Neal Goldman, director of Internet competitive strategies at Boston-based research firm Yankee Group, told NewsFactor Network that he believes Procomp's stance is baseless. "It's nuisance publicity," Goldman told NewsFactor. "It has no real merit in either the consumer or marketplace domination issue." "In fact, [Microsoft's strategy] potentially reverses their competitive advantage for their Media Player by limiting it only to Windows XP," Goldman added. Mike Silver, research director of client operating systems for Gartner/Dataquest, agreed with Goldman. "Microsoft won't deliver the latest Windows Media Player for other platforms. That includes older versions of Windows as well as the Mac and Linux platforms," Silver told NewsFactor. "The interesting thing will be whether Microsoft can get people to adopt their media technology when it's only available on the new OS."
Semiconductor Products Sector, the leading applications processor supplier to the PDA market, and Microsoft are collaborating on the underlying technology to drive new capabilities for handheld devices.
Motorola's DragonBall platform application development system based on ARM technology now supports the Microsoft Windows CE operating system. The two companies announced their plans at today's ARM & Microsoft Executive Summit in Redmond, Washington. Motorola's DragonBall family, which leads the industry in low power consumption, enables wireless device users to benefit from extended run times as a result of long battery life while still enjoying advanced features, such as digital photography and wireless connectivity.
LG Electronics, a major electronics maker, said it is pushing ahead with a strategic partnership with U.S. software giant Microsoft in the home networking field. LG's top officials arrived at Microsoft's headquarters Tuesday and LG Vice Chairman John Koo met with Craig Mundie, Microsoft's chief technology officer, to explore a partnership deal. LG said the two top executives discussed trends in the home networking business and next-generation mobile technology, and agreed to cooperate with each other in development and marketing. Koo said that LG could offer network-based home appliance products that will be compatible with the universal plug-and-play (UPnP), a home networking standard promoted by Microsoft and Intel.