Microsoft Changes Licensing Conditions Following EU Verdict
In the light of a ruling by the European Commission, Microsoft has now published revised license terms for interoperability.
The EU decision forces Microsoft to give competitors access to program code, besides confirming a million dollar fine. As a reaction to this, the new rules titled "Microsoft Work Group Server Protocol Program License Agreements for Development and Product Distribution" (WSPP Development Agreements) have now been published on the corporate website. What Microsoft means by WSPP is the development of server or desktop software for collaboration with Microsoft products. In the introduction to the lengthy announcement, Microsoft explains which claims contractual partners can make under WSPP licenses. The licenses will include the documentation required to implement the protocols, combined with "intellectual property" agreements. At the same time, contractual partners are entitled to free technical support in case of questions on the documentation, they are permitted to review the Windows Server code, and will receive "protocol syntax analysis software" as a support tool.
Under a heading of "Microsoft's Patent Pledge for Open Source Projects" irrevocably promises to free software developers not to assert any legal claims for the use of the covered implementations. Microsoft then goes on to restrict the scope of this promise, saying that this relates to "source code which is freely distributed, modified or copied pursuant to an open source license, and is not commercially distributed by its participants". Because many Open Source licenses explicity permit commercial exploitation of free software, Microsoft thought a more granular explanation was necessary and refers to income from software licenses, update contracts and other fees that users pay for the source code.
The Samba project could be one of the first customers for the new Microsoft license. Samba as developer Volker Lendecke told Linux Magazine. Samba is a free software that makes the Server Message Block Protocol (SMB) available to Linux and Unix systems, and can thus provide Windows server functionality. Right now, the Samba team is working on software to improve interoperability between Samba Windows servers, and Microsoft's Active Directory.
Based on an appraisal by the legal experts at Groklaw, the document that is relevant for Samba is a paper (PDF) titled "No Patents". This license agreement for the Workgroup Server includes all 44 pages. According to Volker Lendecke a team led by Eben Moglen from the Software Freedom Law Center is currently working on the papers, and seeks to advise the free project on whether acquiring the license makes sense.
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

News
-
System76 Releases COSMIC Alpha 7
With scores of bug fixes and a really cool workspaces feature, COSMIC is looking to soon migrate from alpha to beta.
-
OpenMandriva Lx 6.0 Available for Installation
The latest release of OpenMandriva has arrived with a new kernel, an updated Plasma desktop, and a server edition.
-
TrueNAS 25.04 Arrives with Thousands of Changes
One of the most popular Linux-based NAS solutions has rolled out the latest edition, based on Ubuntu 25.04.
-
Fedora 42 Available with Two New Spins
The latest release from the Fedora Project includes the usual updates, a new kernel, an official KDE Plasma spin, and a new System76 spin.
-
So Long, ArcoLinux
The ArcoLinux distribution is the latest Linux distribution to shut down.
-
What Open Source Pros Look for in a Job Role
Learn what professionals in technical and non-technical roles say is most important when seeking a new position.
-
Asahi Linux Runs into Issues with M4 Support
Due to Apple Silicon changes, the Asahi Linux project is at odds with adding support for the M4 chips.
-
Plasma 6.3.4 Now Available
Although not a major release, Plasma 6.3.4 does fix some bugs and offer a subtle change for the Plasma sidebar.
-
Linux Kernel 6.15 First Release Candidate Now Available
Linux Torvalds has announced that the release candidate for the final release of the Linux 6.15 series is now available.
-
Akamai Will Host kernel.org
The organization dedicated to cloud-based solutions has agreed to host kernel.org to deliver long-term stability for the development team.