Does Microsoft Have a Mobile Open Source Strategy Up its Sleeve?
by Sam Dean - Feb. 05, 2009Comments (0)- Related Blog Posts
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There are rumors cropping up that Microsoft may unleash an open source strategy surrounding Danger, the mobile software/services player that it acquired last year. Danger got a lot of kudos in its early days for its innovative Danger Sidekick mobile phone featuring pull-out and flip-up components, but it mostly floundered after that. Part of the cause for the Danger-goes-open-source rumors is this post, which shows a recruiter looking for "a talented NetBSD developer" interested in working on the next generation of Danger Sidekick. With Windows Mobile facing wolves at the door in the form of the iPhone, Android phones, and the Blackberry Storm, would an open source Danger strategy make sense for Microsoft?
The inquiry from a Microsoft recruiter definitely states that the company is, or was (the inquiry came in October), looking for a Redmond-based NetBSD expert with the following skills:
- Strong understanding of OS concepts (particularly with NetBSD) such as multi-threaded program design and synchronization, processes & memory protection, etc.
- Strong understanding of the NetBSD/GNU software development process and embedded development & debugging techniques
- Deep understanding of NetBSD, including timers, RPC, TCP/IP, etc.
It sure looks like Microsoft has its eye on an open source platform for the Sidekick here, and with everyone raising questions about the future of Windows Mobile, an open source mobile strategy could be a way for Microsoft to stay competitive. However, would a truly open source strategy arise around a NetBSD-based platform?
Not necessarily, points out PC World:
"NetBSD is an open source operating system that works on a variety of devices including computers and phones. However, even though it's open source, its license doesn't force Microsoft to open up its own contributions to other developers."
NetBSD features the BSD license, which would not bind Microsoft to back-and-forth contributions with the open source community. I doubt if we'll see a truly open source mobile strategy emerge from this. More likely, Microsoft has explored the option of putting Windows Mobile on the Sidekick and shelved that idea in favor of a platform that could have broad consumer appeal. It looks to me like the Sidekick will become NetBSD-based, but I'm betting Microsoft will retain control of application development and more. For a different spin on Microsoft's possible upcoming smartphone moves, see GigaOm's item from today.
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