> 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
> 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.
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&t...
That's very odd, just tested on my lumia with Google set as default and it searched using google in IE. Not being able to set the search provider for the search button does annoy me a bit though.
*BSD systems are not based on Linux code. It wouldn't be illegal to not distribute it. It wasn't like Google was caught by surprised. Besides, they still do not have to open source anything running on top of it. But they did.
Original claim -- Google is not open sourcing their core software. (Let's assume Android is not their core software). So Microsoft should have no problem open sourcing Bing.