REDMOND, Wash., Feb. 21, 2002 — Microsoft Corp. today announced a significant expansion of its Shared Source Initiative, the company’s commitment to enabling source code access for customers, partners and educators, by making enterprise systems integrators (SIs) eligible to receive access to Microsoft® Windows®
source code. The Systems Integrator Source Licensing Program (SISLP) enables systems integrators to use Microsoft Windows source code to provide customers with Windows operating system-based solutions that are relevant, reliable and secure.
The source code access will enable participating SIs to base services on a more in-depth knowledge of the Windows platform, deliver deep security analysis and privacy verification, more rapidly troubleshoot customer issues, and offer performance tuning for custom applications running on Windows. The SISLP will be available initially to approximately 150 SIs worldwide in more than 30 countries at no additional fee. Gold Support Services Certified Partners or SIs with more than 1,500 seats of Windows with a Microsoft Premier Support Agreement (level A or B) are eligible for the program, so participants will eventually include a mix of traditional systems integrators that deliver Windows-based solutions as well as those companies providing ongoing Windows support services. Over the past year, these groups have responded to approximately 1 million customer support calls from customers of Windows in the United States alone and routinely service hundreds of thousands of companies worldwide. This extension of the Shared Source Initiative will enhance the ability of SIs to deliver mission-critical support for those calls and establish more integrated infrastructure solutions to improve customers’ information technology environments.
“This program gives Compaq Global Services the ability to expand significantly the depth of expertise we bring to our clients,” said Rick Fricchione, vice president, Enterprise Ready Microsoft, Compaq Global Services. “We will be able to provide quicker time to resolution for our support and systems integration services, as well as improve our capabilities globally to offer a better experience and satisfaction for implementing Windows-based technology mission-critical solutions.”
“Avanade is pleased to be a launch partner in this unprecedented program,” said Ashish Kumar, CTO of Avanade Inc., a systems integrator specializing in delivering Microsoft enterprise solutions to Global 2,000 customers. “With this increased access, our Windows-based solutions will be stronger and more secure, and our ability to integrate those solutions into existing systems means we can more readily provide customers with a truly connected, cohesive computing environment.”
“Empowering systems integrators with better knowledge of, and access to, Windows source code will enable them to deliver higher-valued services to our customers,” said Craig Mundie, senior vice president, chief technical officer of advanced strategies and policy at Microsoft. “By sharing our source code responsibly with our partners, we are committing our most valuable intellectual property to the belief that a vibrant and integrated software ecosystem is critical to the future of our global economy and IT performance.”
About the Shared Source Initiative
The Microsoft Shared Source Initiative is a balanced approach that makes source code more broadly available while preserving the intellectual property rights that sustain a strong software business. The Shared Source Initiative framework supports a spectrum of programs and licenses offered by Microsoft to various communities of customers, partners, developers, academicians and other interested individuals.
Each source-licensing program under the Shared Source Initiative is tailored to the specific needs of a particular Microsoft constituent community, and can be applied as a model for increasing code transparency throughout commercial software. Shared Source is an evolving framework that will support additional source-code access programs and licenses involving many Microsoft product groups. Currently, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows .NET Server, Windows CE 3.0 and Windows CE .NET have source code available through the Shared Source Initiative.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software — any time, any place and on any device.
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