Microsoft bans open source from it’s Marketplace

Apparently you cannot get any Open Source software through Microsoft’s marketplace.

The licence, which anyone wishing to distribute Windows, Windows Phone, or Xbox applications through the company’s copy of Apple’s App Store is required to agree to, is the usual torrent of legalese – but hides a nasty surprise for those who support open source ideals.

via Microsoft bans open source from the Marketplace | thinq_.

I’ve heard that Windows 8 will include the marketplace as well…  Though I hope that Microsoft is smart enough to let people install software that wasn’t purchased through the marketplace to be installed on Windows 8, as we’ve been able to do on all previous versions of Windows.

The Windows Phone and XBox are both heavily controlled, which seems to be the way that most corporations are going with devices like these. (Apple has a similar setup with the iPhone, iPad, and iPod, Nintendo with the Wii and DS, Sony with the PS3, and PSP)

These changes are sad to see, computers are becoming a little less versatile, because their manufacturers are putting limits on what the device can do, and if you try to break those limits, the manufacturer can permanently disable that device.

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