I have read the EULA in question.
The situation was blown up, due to Microsoft's own FUD tactics. They
claim that GPL is more "infectious" than it really is. They claim that if
you edit and compile code using GPLed tools, your code must, too, be
GPLed. This is untrue.
According to what I understand from the EULA, you are prohibited from
using any tools, which would require Microsoft's code (and its
derivatives) from being GPLed (or being licensed under another viral open
source license). Since GPLed tools don't make such a requirement, they
really are not prohibited according to EULA's terms.
But nervous PHBs, who don't have the time to tell FUD apart from real
facts, would play it safe and prohibit their employees from using GPLed
tools, and thus play into Microsoft's hands.
On 26 Jun 2001, Oleg Goldshmidt wrote:
>
> At the risk to be close to off-topic, here's a tidbit:
>
> In the SV.com's roundtable (check /.) Bruce Perens asks
> about the newest MS EULA,
>
> http://msdn.microsoft.com/downloads/eula_mit.htm
>
> (Linux is specifically mentioned there, so I *am* on topic :)
>
> While I can see that M$ can be worried about someone distributing
> a product that contains both M$ code and GPLed code (there seems to
> be a licensing conflict in this case indeed), they seem to tell
> developers, "You want to use our products - you are prohibited to
> use open source even as development tools, whether or not you
> include them in your product." Can anyone knowledgeable comment on
> this? I am not even familiar with the M$ product in question,
>
> Microsoft Mobile Internet Toolkit Beta 2.
--- Omer
There is no IGLU cabal. Its former members were confused by the
information overload due to the sophisticated FUD tactics employed by
certain Masters of Informational and Commercial Rights Organizations for
Software and Operations F.T.
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