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by Peter Galli on December 09, 2009 12:02pm
I am very pleased to announce that Microsoft today released the Open Sourced Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool (WUDT) under the GPLv2.
As we previously explained, the testing and localization took longer than we expected, but the project is now hosted on CodePlex.com, Microsoft's Open Source software project hosting repository, and the code can be found here.
The tool can also now be downloaded from the Microsoft Store here.
Also, as a result of some necessary changes, while the user experience of the tool will be the same as before, the install involves additional steps.
Originally, for the convenience of customers, we aggregated together additional files, which are separate freestanding executables:
(a) .NET Framework
WUDT is written in C# which requires the Microsoft .NET Framework to run.
(b) IMAPI
The tool uses IMAPI to burn DVDs.
(c) Bootsect.exe
This is part of the Windows 7 bits (found in \boot\bootsect.exe) and allows a USB device to be marked as bootable.
It is important to note that these files were not linked with the original WUDT in a programmatic sense but, instead, were launched via a command line. We have now separated these files for clarity as they are separate programs under different licensing terms.
The new release will provide full instructions for customers on how to install .NETfx and IMAPI prior to installing WUDT. Bootsect.exe will be part of the Windows 7 ISO download on the Microsoft Store.
Once again, we appreciate your patience.
by Peter Galli on December 18, 2009 01:24pm
In case you missed this, Moonlight 2 is now available.
Moonlight is the open source Linux implementation of Silverlight, which was first announced by Microsoft and Novell in September of 2007.
Moonlight is the only open source project that provides Linux users access to Silverlight content, and Microsoft has provided Novell with access to its test suites for Silverlight as well as giving Linux end-users of Moonlight free access to the Microsoft Media Pack, a set of licensed media codecs for video and audio, the Silverlight team said in a blog post.
Microsoft and Novell also announced yesterday that they are expanding their collaboration on Moonlight to include support for Moonlight implementations of Silverlight 3 and Silverlight 4, which will see Microsoft deliver new test suites and specifications for Silverlight 3 and 4 to Novell.
A preview release of Moonlight 3 will be made available in the first quarter of 2010, with a final release scheduled for the third quarter of 2010. Moonlight 4 is expected to follow shortly thereafter.
In response to feedback from the community, Microsoft has also extended its Patent Covenant to End Users of Moonlight, which means that the covenant is no longer limited to users who get Moonlight from Novell or its channel, but now also covers users who obtain Moonlight from any third party, including other Linux distributors.
Microsoft and Novell also collaborated earlier this year to ensure that Linux users were able to watch the Barack Obama Official Inauguration stream with Moonlight.