Microsoft Opens Source Code of Windows CE

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Hoping to boost the use of its Windows CE software in devices, Microsoft Corp. plans to announce on Monday that it will share more of the operating system's source code and allow device makers to make changes to that code.

The announcement marks the first time that Microsoft will allow others to make changes to the operating system source code, compile the code for use in commercial products and not have to share their changes with Microsoft or anybody else, said John Starkweather, a product manager at Microsoft in Redmond, Washington.

Windows CE was developed for devices including consumer electronics, wireless routers, industrial controllers, handheld computers, set-top boxes, VoIP (voice-over-Internet Protocol) phones and thin clients. It competes with proprietary operating systems as well as with versions of the open source Linux operating system designed for embedded use.

"The option to ship derivatives of Windows CE will give device makers another opportunity to innovate, thus we will see a further expansion of the types of devices that are powered by Windows CE," Starkweather said.

The expanded source licensing for Windows CE will come with Windows CE 5.0, which was previously code-named Macallan. The software succeeds Windows CE 4.2 and is scheduled to be released to manufacturing on July 9. General availability should follow shortly thereafter.

More than 2.5 million lines of code will be available for Windows CE 5.0, including the kernel, user interface, hardware drivers and networking stack, Starkweather said. For Windows CE 4.2, Microsoft made about 2 million lines of code available, which users were allowed to use only for reference and debugging purposes.

The expanded source code licensing with Windows CE 5.0 comes in addition to the Windows CE Shared Source Premium program that Microsoft launched last year. Under that program, licensees can get almost all of the CE source code and make modifications to it, but they are required to share their changes with Microsoft, Starkweather said.

Additionally, the Shared Source Premium program was limited to a small group of chip makers and device makers in a limited number of countries. With Windows CE 5.0, any licensee in any country will be able to access to the source code, Starkweather said.

The Windows CE Shared Source Premium program will continue, and Microsoft may expand it to include some additional companies, Starkweather said.

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Source : http://www.infoworld.com/article/04/...towince_1.html

If it wern't for the MANY applications that are available on palm that aren't available on windows CE... I'd swich over... palm has been pissing me off for a LONG time! It shouldn't take 2 years to release a fscking 802.11x card for their devices.

I almost want to buy a second PDA that is windows CE just so I can have the wireless device.

Do you know how hard it is to find a bluetooth hotspot!!

When my gf is out with me and she has her laptop... I have to make that the gateway to the internet... pathetic that I have to have two devices just go get w/less access.

Palm did kind of miss the boat on 802.11. You can marry your new generation cell phone to act as an internet gateway on your belt using bluetooth and blow away the 802.11 guys as far as coverage but hey that means no use of the cool 802.11 hotspots that are FREE. You can buy a new Palm with it built in, but that means a new system. There used to be a palm 802.11 card here but it looks like Intel has got rid of it since they have cut the old Xircom line. Perhaps ebay could land one, I think it was called something like "Xircom wireless lan module for Palm Handhelds." well at least that makes some hits on google .

RoadClosed: Thanks, I've looked high and low. Supposedly SanDisk is going to release drivers for *some* of the Palm line this quarter... but they've been saying that for the past 8 quarters... I'll beleive it when I see it.

I didn't know that Intel made a palm w/less module. I'll have to look into that.
I've never seen any reference to it... and I've been searching for a LONG time.

I know there are a couple companies stepping up to the plate. I beleive that the biggest problem is that Palm is greedy and they want a rediculous one sided deal in order to work with the 3rd party dealers... and when they designed the palms... not all the hardware was built with wireless in mind. Palm refuses to release patches for some of the simple problems. Other problems require a hardware hack on the older palms. (m50x series).

Ah well... for all the $$ that I spend on PDAs... I could have one hell of a laptop. (When I say "I"... I mean work...) guess I'll just get a laptop next. I just liked how the PDAs can fit nicely in your pocket and do mostly everything that I'd need on the road.

Anywho... my posts have nothing to do with Windows opening some of the CE code... so I'll back off. More of just the same old palm rant...

Thanks for the suggestion on the Intel card!

Yeah your right, I sent a PM. Check this link for Palm with built in Wi-Fi


Back on Topic....
Perhaps since MS is releasing controls a little on source code, people would be more inclined to offer their services and design Palm based apps. Right now Palm is like the old dos box in that there are so many privately designed programs out there it's pretty amazing. CE does not have anywhere near that kind of support for software. Seems CE has some better games though, did you know these things make good game machines? :)

Yeah your right, I sent a PM. Check this link for Palm with built in Wi-Fi


Back on Topic....
Perhaps since MS is releasing controls a little on source code, people would be more inclined to offer their services and design Palm based apps. Right now Palm is like the old dos box in that there are so many privately designed programs out there it's pretty amazing. CE does not have anywhere near that kind of support for software. Seems CE has some better games though, did you know these things make good game machines? :)

Oh since you mentioned sandisk, you have a T3 don't you?