Microsoft .Net Framework Opened For Inspection

Its almost like Microsoft is opening up the .Net Framework. Under its Reference License, Developers will will be able to view .Net source, just not change any of it. InfoWorld:Microsoft opening up .Net Framework libraries reports:

Opening up to developers, Microsoft is releasing its .Net Framework libraries under the Microsoft Reference License, which allows viewing of source code but not modification or redistribution, the company said on Wednesday.

The release gives developers the opportunity to better understand the inner workings of the framework's source code, Microsoft said. Microsoft's efforts fall under the company's Shared Source initiative, which allows for sharing of source code; Shared Source has been viewed as Microsoft's answer to open source, in which users can view selected source code.

Also, Microsoft will introduce a capability in the upcoming Visual Studio 2008 developer tools package to allow .Net Framework developers to debug into .Net Framework source code.

"One of the things my team has been working to enable has been the ability for .Net developers to download and browse the source code of the .Net Framework libraries and to easily enable debugging support in them," said Microsoft's Scott Guthrie, general manager in the Microsoft Developer Division, in his blog.

"Today I'm excited to announce that we'll be providing this with the .Net 3.5 and Visual Studio 2008 release later this year," he said.

Here are libraries that will be opened up for viewing:

* Net Base Class Libraries (including System, System.IO, System.Collections, System.Configuration, System.Threading, System.Net, System.Security, System.Runtime, and System.Text).
* ASP.Net (System.Web).
* Windows Forms (System.Windows.Forms).
* ADO.NET (System.Data).
* XML (System.Xml).
* Windows Presentation Foundation (System.Windows).

So if you've ever wondered what those "Geniuses" at Microsoft code like, you'll soon be able find out. You think they really stick to those standards they advocate?

More information on the Microsoft Reference License can be found here.

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