Petitioning to ask Microsoft make Windows Phone 8.1 open source

[AgentTheGreat]

Hey Dan.

I made a poll here and described what I would really like to see, and am waiting to see what others have to say.

Seeing as you have a relatively close relationship with people at Micrsoft, do you think it is even conceivable that Microsoft can open source Windows Phone 8.1 and let the community keep that "fork" of the OS alive on their own?

Just to be clear: I'm not talking about Windows 10 Mobile but Windows Phone 8.1 because we all know how closely related W10M is to W10 and that's out of the question.
I'm talking about legacy code that Microsoft has probably archived and is basically dead to them.

Thanks in advance.

EDIT: I suggest you read the comments on said poll, to see different viewpoints and counter-arguments plus exciting ideas on the issue. Maybe you can clear things up better than we can.

 

[xandros9]

I'm not sure they would be so keen to release the code as it likely takes a lot of work to figure out what code can or cannot be released and so on for relatively little benefit. I think the best analogy is to look at webOS's open-sourcing at the hands of HP and where it has led.

 

[AgentTheGreat]

I'm not sure they would be so keen to release the code as it likely takes a lot of work to figure out what code can or cannot be released and so on for relatively little benefit. I think the best analogy is to look at webOS's open-sourcing at the hands of HP and where it has led.

Yes I heard that analogy. I just think the WP community and developers are much more enthusiastic compared to an OS that could have been compared to any other Linux distribution, which is basically Android with a skin. Also webOS still lives today, as a smart OS on many consumer products although not on phones. I'd take that over a great OS getting thrown into the trash can of history.

 

[xandros9]

Yes I heard that analogy. I just think the WP community and developers are much more enthusiastic compared to an OS that could have been compared to any other Linux distribution, which is basically Android with a skin. Also webOS still lives today, as a smart OS on many consumer products although not on phones. I'd take that over a great OS getting thrown into the trash can of history.

Oh no, webOS had people, developers and whatnot who were very attached and passionate, not unlike Windows Phone 8; and to call it "basically Android with a skin" is like calling a MacBook "basically a Dell Inspiron with a skin" because they may share the same Intel processor at their core or calling Ubuntu "basically Android with a skin" despite providing completely different experiences on completely different form factors.

webOS may technically live on today in smart TVs, but it's a hollow existence and a far cry from its mobile UX brilliance. Like how Windows CE might still exist in some embedded uses, but hardly anything anyone would get excited for.

 

[AgentTheGreat]

...or calling Ubuntu "basically Android with a skin" despite providing completely different experiences on completely different form factors.

Are you suggesting Android which has the same core and works on the same form factors as webOS did is comparable to WP?
Because while webOS's features were cool compared to iOS and Android back then, during the time when webOS was battling its owners who eventually sold it to HP and then to LG, Android and iOS matured enough that today, apparently you can't really tell if the old webOS is a version of Android.
Basically if Android managed to get all your contacts from different accounts together and added multi-tasking with cards, it would be webOS.
My point is those who like webOS were quite happy with Android after all platforms matured. I don't think there was anything, UX-wise, on webOS on Palm that Android didn't pick up pretty quickly.

So now we have webOS on phones. It's called Android, UX-wise. But we don't have WP anywhere except for some attempts at creating launchers for Android...which we all know is not the same.

 

[Golfdriver97]

Open source won't happen. And here is why.... Microsoft makes bank everytime a Windows PC is sold, regardless of who made it.

 

[AgentTheGreat]

Open source won't happen. And here is why.... Microsoft makes bank everytime a Windows PC is sold, regardless of who made it.

I don't follow the logic from open source to how Microsoft makes money.

 

[Golfdriver97]

I don't follow the logic from open source to how Microsoft makes money.

If it's closed source, there is only one place Windows device OEMs can go for the OS; Microsoft. If it's open source, anyone can take the base code, make a version and post it for free. Similar to Linux. Since OEMs would go to that person instead of MS, MS is losing cash flow.

 

[AgentTheGreat]

If it's closed source, there is only one place Windows device OEMs can go for the OS; Microsoft. If it's open source, anyone can take the base code, make a version and post it for free. Similar to Linux. Since OEMs would go to that person instead of MS, MS is losing cash flow.

Oh so there is the misunderstanding. I mentioned I'm not talking about Windows 10 or Windows in general. Only Windows Phone 8.1, for phones. OEMs have already dropped plans to create devices based on that and apparently Microsoft themselves don't want to enter the classic smartphone market again, so there is nothing to be gained for Microsoft from mobile anyway.
Even if the mythical Surface 'Andromeda' device comes out, it will be a new category of device and not a classic phone so there is no issues there.

 

[Golfdriver97]

Oh so there is the misunderstanding. I mentioned I'm not talking about Windows 10 or Windows in general. Only Windows Phone 8.1, for phones. OEMs have already dropped plans to create devices based on that and apparently Microsoft themselves don't want to enter the classic smartphone market again, so there is nothing to be gained for Microsoft from mobile anyway.
Even if the mythical Surface 'Andromeda' device comes out, it will be a new category of device and not a classic phone so there is no issues there.

My statement still applies to mobile. An open source version of MS would still cut into their profit margin.

 

[AgentTheGreat]

My statement still applies to mobile. An open source version of MS would still cut into their profit margin.

This analysis is obviously wrong. Microsoft already made Windows RT free for devices under 10 inches and anyone could have argued "this move would cut into their profit". Free Windows Phone supported only by enthusiasts as a small community project can only be useful in PR and it wouldn't be as big as RT back when Microsoft supported it.