WinCE 6.0 Code Distribution License Terms

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WinCE_Coder - 27 Jun 2009 08:10 GMT

Hi All,

We have developed a WinCE 6 BSP for a ARM926 based processor module and
would like to distribute the BSP in source form to OEMs/ODMs for use in their
end product.
We referred to the WinCE 6 License.rtf under C:\Program Files\Microsoft
Platform Builder\6.00 for information on code distribution licensing.

This license files talks about the following:
Distribution Requirements. For any Distributable Code you distribute, you must
• require distributors and external end users to agree to terms that protect
it at least as much as this agreement; see
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=67068 for recommended distribution
license terms for Sample Code;
• display your valid copyright notice on any Sample Code files you modify; and
• indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Microsoft from any claims, including
attorneys’ fees, related to the distribution or use of the Distributable Code
and your Products;

We are not able to get the link http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=67068
and its associated distribution license terms.

Can anyone help us out here?

Thanks
WinCE_Coder

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Paul G. Tobey [eMVP] - 29 Jun 2009 16:55 GMT

I think that you're looking at things the wrong way. The code you are
distributing is *your* code, right? You aren't distributing any Microsoft
code? In that case, Microsoft doesn't have anything to say about what you
do. It's your code. The Windows CE license stuff from Microsoft controls
the distribution of Windows CE itself, on a device. Now there may be terms
in the license that you signed with Microsoft when you purchased Platform
Builder concerning BSP distribution that you'll have to refer to.

I don't see any articles on the topic indicated at all. I suppose that you
could call MS support. Licensing questions like that ("where is the
license?"), shouldn't cost you anything...

Paul T.

> Hi All,
>
[quoted text clipped - 29 lines]
> Thanks
> WinCE_Coder

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WinCE_Coder - 03 Jul 2009 19:12 GMT

Paul,

Thanks for your reply. I think I posted the question wrongly.

Some of the code that we ship as part of our BSP have been derived out of
the PUBLIC\COMMON\SDK folder contents.

So when we ship it out, we are essentially distributing a modified MS
code-base.
In that case, what distribution license terms should our end customer accept
to ?

Thanks,
WInCE_Coder

> I think that you're looking at things the wrong way. The code you are
> distributing is *your* code, right? You aren't distributing any Microsoft
[quoted text clipped - 43 lines]
> > Thanks
> > WinCE_Coder

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Paul G. Tobey [eMVP] - 06 Jul 2009 17:18 GMT

My read on the license, generally, over several versions of Windows CE,
indicates that you can't distribute code in source format. You can
distribute it in binary, in some sense (certainly, if you clone and modify
some common code, you can build it into your OS and that's fine will all
recent versions of CE). I would think that this would apply to BSP
shipments, too (no source, but binary libraries OK), since the target user
of the code must have Platform Builder to do anything with it, so they could
clone/modify the code themselves. However, you'll need to consult a lawyer
to really be sure that you don't get into some trouble, particularly I'd
think, if you are *selling* the BSP, in some manner, with the code in it.
As for what terms, specifically, MS would require you to include in your
license, that's definitely going to require an answer from MS directly.
That just doesn't happen enough for it to really be carefully incorporated
into the Windows CE distribution by MS, I think...

Paul T.

> Paul,
>
[quoted text clipped - 68 lines]
>> > Thanks
>> > WinCE_Coder

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