I sent this invitation to st...@mozilla.org as well, but in case their
spam filters are set to block @microsoft.com email addresses, I'm
posting here.
I am the Director of the Open Source Software Lab at Microsoft, and I'm
writing to see if you are open to some 1:1 support in getting Firefox
and Thunderbird to run on Vista.
As part of my mission as an advocate for open source applications on
Windows, I've gotten spaces set aside at the Windows Vista Readiness
ISV Lab. In the past the company has only invited commercial software
developers to these labs. I'm committed to evolving our thinking
beyond commercial companies to include open source projects, so I went
to the non-trivial effort of getting slots for non-commercial open
source projects.
The lab itself is a 4-day event held in Redmond every week through
December 2006; we provide secure office space for 4 people, hardware,
VPN access, and 1:1 access to product team developers and support
staff.
If you're interested, please send email to sra...@microsoft.com,
jca...@microsoft.com, and mfra...@microsoft.com - I'm on vacation
through 8/27, but Jamie Cannon and Michael Francisco will help you get
tracked in.
You can learn a little more about my lab on our site,
http://port25.technet.com.
Best regards,
Sam Ramji
Director, Open Source Software Lab
Microsoft Corporation
(510)913-6495
sra...@microsoft.com
I believe we are already in contact with your team via email. We will
follow-up there.
Best,
Mike
See you soon.
ROTFLMAO. That's just too funny! :-D
--
Regards,
Peter Lairo
Lame attempt to get rich: http://www.lairo.com/donations.html
Heh, no such blocking exists, I assure you. For what it's worth,
though, st...@mozilla.org isn't the list that it sounds like. Email
about partnering with Mozilla Corporation should go to
part...@mozilla.com, and general discussion with the entire community
should go, well, in places like this (although I think, for future
reference, cc's to mozilla.dev.apps.firefox and
mozilla.dev.apps.thunderbird would be good, too).
:)
> I am the Director of the Open Source Software Lab at Microsoft, and I'm
> writing to see if you are open to some 1:1 support in getting Firefox
> and Thunderbird to run on Vista.
As Mike Schroepfer indicated, I think we're already in discussion with
someone on your team about this, but for the record: yes, we'd
definitely be interested in getting some 1:1 support. We have, of
course, been testing on Vista, and Rob Strong has done some work with
Ed Averett to ensure that we take advantage of the new "Default
Program" infrastructure.
Other areas that I think both Firefox and Thunderbird should investigate are:
- effects of running in the new application security mode
- interacting/integrating with InfoCard
- integration with the common RSS data store and services
- integration with the Vista calendar and address book
Any others that you know of?
> developers to these labs. I'm committed to evolving our thinking
> beyond commercial companies to include open source projects, so I went
> to the non-trivial effort of getting slots for non-commercial open
> source projects.
The facility and program that you describe should really help to
ensure that we get the proper integration issues looked at for Firefox
2 and Thunderbird 2. Do you know if there are any spots for other open
source groups that are using Firefox/XULRunner as a platform such as
Songbird and Democracy, or Flock?
Alternatively, are you going to be linking to MSDN resources (such as
documentation and sample code, or even testing tools?) that could help
open source projects such as Mozilla understand what the major changes
will be for Windows Application Developers? Something like a checklist
of the most common OS integration points that have changed from
Windows XP would be extremely useful, and would also be accessible to
organizations that can't afford to send people to Redmond.
> You can learn a little more about my lab on our site,
> http://port25.technet.com.
Interesting blogs, thanks for the links. Looking forward to seeing
this new Lab evolve and join into the OSS community at large.
cheers,
mike
--
/ mike beltzner / phenomenologist / mozilla corporation /
-Robert
> In the past the company has only invited commercial software
> developers to these labs.
How, exactly, is Mozilla, Firefox, and etc. not commercial software?
It's used by businesses, consumers, and businesses all over the world,
and the company that produces it makes a very handy profit. Freedom
and commerciality aren't mutually exclusive...
Porting their installation to MSI?
Mvh/
JarrE
For one thing, the source is open and it's not sold.
Robert Kaiser
Has work on this gone into the source already? Are there patches one can
look at? Why I'm asking is that SeaMonkey probably wants to look into
being able to hook in there as well.
Robert Kaiser
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=336469 is for the installer
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=339306 is for the app
Robert
Thanks, I guess those pointers can be helpful (I don't understand the
code but I'm cross-posting this to m.d.a.seamonkey so our people can
look into stuff that we might need there).
Robert Kaiser
sorry.. but msi is the worst installer ever.. next to the installshield
(from personal experiences). i think mozilla should stick to their own
installer.
I love Firefox, Thunderbird and very much appreciate the hard working
developers who contribute to these projects. For your sake and ours,
please stay away from Redmond.
We appreciate your desire to help and protect the project, but this is
not the appropriate forum for discussing these sorts of hypothetical
organizational perils.
And if legal issues _did_ exist, this isn't the appropriate forum for
receiving or providing legal advice.
Please don't continue this thread here; reply to me directly if you must.
Mike
Since at least April 2005, since that's when they started giving other companies
access to the Open Source Software Lab that they had had for a while before
then. See http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-6058196.html for example.
-Boris
Hi. Out of curiosity. Since when does M$ Zombies have the ability to
speak human language and talk to normal people without trying to kill
them/DoS their computers?
im not a free software fanatic who goes about bashing microsoft for no
reason. But came to know about how much microsoft is against firefox and
open office. A thin client devices and server centric solutions company in
chennai is engaged in a dialog with microsoft for bargaining a deal. The
microsoft people are much more interested to give amazing bargains if the
company doesn't install firefox and open office in their platform.
I think this people will never realise what playing fair is...
--Navin
Yes, this was my attempt at humor... I'd sent a note to Mitchell early
in the month but she must have missed it. Thanks for your guidance
above.
> > I am the Director of the Open Source Software Lab at Microsoft, and I'm
> > writing to see if you are open to some 1:1 support in getting Firefox
> > and Thunderbird to run on Vista.
>
> As Mike Schroepfer indicated, I think we're already in discussion with
> someone on your team about this, but for the record: yes, we'd
> definitely be interested in getting some 1:1 support. We have, of
> course, been testing on Vista, and Rob Strong has done some work with
> Ed Averett to ensure that we take advantage of the new "Default
> Program" infrastructure.
That's great - and I'm aware of the work you're doing with Ed. There
are a number of different Vista feature teams who want to work with
you. My team (the Open Source Software Lab) will try to make sure that
you don't miss any good opportunities.
> Other areas that I think both Firefox and Thunderbird should investigate are:
>
> - effects of running in the new application security mode
> - interacting/integrating with InfoCard
> - integration with the common RSS data store and services
> - integration with the Vista calendar and address book
>
> Any others that you know of?
These are all very good areas to work on. The CardSpace team (was
InfoCard, as you mention) is one of several who are looking forward to
engaging with you on campus. Parental Controls (content filtering in
the HTTP stack) could be another key area for Firefox to work with.
> > developers to these labs. I'm committed to evolving our thinking
> > beyond commercial companies to include open source projects, so I went
> > to the non-trivial effort of getting slots for non-commercial open
> > source projects.
>
> The facility and program that you describe should really help to
> ensure that we get the proper integration issues looked at for Firefox
> 2 and Thunderbird 2. Do you know if there are any spots for other open
> source groups that are using Firefox/XULRunner as a platform such as
> Songbird and Democracy, or Flock?
I'd like to get your thoughts on these and others specifically, and
what would best help these teams. Let's connect 1:1.
> Alternatively, are you going to be linking to MSDN resources (such as
> documentation and sample code, or even testing tools?) that could help
> open source projects such as Mozilla understand what the major changes
> will be for Windows Application Developers? Something like a checklist
> of the most common OS integration points that have changed from
> Windows XP would be extremely useful, and would also be accessible to
> organizations that can't afford to send people to Redmond.
This is a great idea, and my team has some spent time in the last week
specifically responding to this suggestion. They've worked with Jim
Clouse, program manager for Vista Readiness, to pull together a set of
links/resources for open source projects. We'll evolve the list of
resources as we receive new questions & suggestions.
Vista Readiness for Open Source Projects:
http://port25.technet.com/archive/2006/09/06/Open-Source-Applications-on-Windows-Vista_3A00_-Readiness-Kit.asp
> > You can learn a little more about my lab on our site,
> > http://port25.technet.com.
>
> Interesting blogs, thanks for the links. Looking forward to seeing
> this new Lab evolve and join into the OSS community at large.
Thanks, Mike - I appreciate the goodwill. This is going to be fun!
Cheers,
Sam