VSIP/Visual Studio 2005 SDK and open source language services?

In the near future I would like to attempt a language services plug-in using the Visual Studio 2005 SDK (formerly called VSIP I believe); the free version, to be specific.

However, since I may or may not have much time in the future to work on it, I was wondering if a non-viral open source license - something like MIT or BSD that does not propogate up the chain - would be OK.

I do not care much about the particulars of whatever licenses are acceptable; anything that lets me share the source so other people can hack on it is fine by me.

Any-one know the answer to this

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VSIP/Visual Studio 2005 SDK and open source language services?

dlettier
I've had October SDK installed for a while now. I just double-checked but was not able to find its license agreement. Was that only presented during the installation
cologsx

Yes, I meant PLK of course. My bad. Just updated my earlier post with that. Any comments on that PLK item of concern

I'll download the new VSIP 2003 SDK to check it out. Thanks.
DaveMellor
If you have access to VSIP license agreement then check items 2.b.viii. and 2.b.vii. IMHO, first one especially spells out the restrictions that close the door for OSS development unless one tweaks the distribution in such way so that it complies with that clause. I really do wish Microsoft would clarify this for us.
Gustavo Valdes

Phil,

I took a look at the new Feb 2006 SDK license agreement. IMHO, section 6.2 confirms my initial guess and your statement regarding PLK.

I re-downloaded VS.NET 2003 VSIP SDK but it appears identical to the one I had downloaded early last year. Where can I find that re-released license you mentioned Thanks.
Andrew Espinosa
They seem kind of vague to me; other people have interpreted it as "as long as it does not require proprietary Microsoft source to be released, blah blah blah" and others have considered it a straight out "NO!" ... Microsoft of course has never clarified the issue.

I guess I want "plain English" confirmation/denial from someone at Microsoft--I think the wording is kind of vague.

But, we'll see. If I can't find a concrete answer I'll figure something out: best way to see if a landmine is active or not is to step on it.

(college student, nothing to lose)
Marc Bey
C'mon now. There's no need to be afraid - I won't blow up in your face if someone from Microsoft tells me that its a no-no or "seriously frowned upon."

I edited the post title for clarification just in case I was scaring you special MVPs away. ;)
Cole4473
Hello, I have had this same concern for a while, and just downloaded the Visual Studio 2005 SDK from October 2005. Its license for the first time seems to expressly allow open-source development:

"3.2 Community Rights. You may also separately distribute Integration Code, sample code, and excerpts from documentation in the Software (“Excerpts”) if you comply with Section 3.3."

Section 3.3 places restrictions on the redistribution of Microsoft code samples, object code, and excerpts, but it does not place any additional restrictions on your code or Eligible Product. They do expressly prohibit releasing modified samples under GPL-type licenses, but place no such restriction on your own Integration Code.
Zak (ilm)
While IANAL, I do believe you are correct in that a project of that type should be an "SDK project" and depend on the DLK since the PLK is product and company specific.
CarlosHere

Sergey,

we re-released both the VSIP 2003 SDK and the VSIP 2003 Extras with the new licensing.

what ID are you talking about the PLK

Phil
WayneW

I'll check the license terms but it looks promising. There are two concerns I still have though:

1 - If my package is compatible with both VS 2003.NET and VS 2005 (via conditional directive), am I still allowed to publish the source Knowing that VS.NET 2003 is not covered by this (slightly) relaxed license agreement, am I suppose to add some special provision for VS.NET 2003

2 - What happens to my VSIP product PLK when package's source is released to OS community Can I leave that in or should I remove it entirely I personally would go for removal as I don't want for the derivative of the original product to be linked to my company.

It's a good start thought.
Nestos
the latest CTP both presents the license agreement during the install and plants it on disk.
danrhee

While the web site continues to show the 2003 license, during installation the new license is shown.

I am investigating changing the license shown by the web site before download begins.
Rick B.
I asked the same in

http://forums.microsoft.com/msdn/ShowPost.aspx PostID=3257

Unfortunately no answer. So I guess we should assume the worse scenario, that we are prohibited to open-source the extensibility code (as mentioned in some older VSIP licences).
I would love to hear that this has changed.
VSIP/Visual Studio 2005 SDK and open source language services?

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