Petitioning to make Microsofts Windows Phone open source.

[jmshub]

@AgentTheGreat I am not bashing your idea, I would love to see WinMobile live on by and for enthusiasts. Realistically though, there is too much shared code with the Windows core. Community goodwill is worth less to them than maintaining their intellectual property.

 

[Pairadyce]

I'm not going to dive into the details of intellectual property and how this can be achieved because it's probably not on and Microsoft exec's radar. All I will say is if the supported the internal components and allowed people to fork skins, animations, icons, and connectivity to the internal components then I have no doubt that a community would support it given it can be installed on barebones devices or installed on existing devices. Look at something like SmartThings where you have people and companies writing apps to support and interact with.

Could it work? Sure, if Microsoft really wanted to embrace it. I'd wait another twenty years before I would think this is something they'd resort to.

 

[Roccy]

Hello guys.

I have been around on Windows Central for a relatively long time, and I watched as the platform slowly went to its grave step by step, mostly because of Microsoft's own doing. But that's not what I'm spending any more time on to debate anymore. I just point out that I was very bitter about the whole thing on Windows(Phone)Central for a long time.

Since Microsoft has given up on mobile completely (Andromeda aside as a mysterious project that may or may not be a phone or a tablet or a foldable new category) I got dreaming how nice it would have been if Microsoft, as embracing of Open Source initiative they've become recently, decided to open source Windows Phone 8.1. Maybe not 10 Mobile - because it has too much operational Windows 10 in it - but just 8.1 as an offshoot of Windows 8.1.

In other news, recently it was revealed that Microsoft is embracing PWAs or Progressive Web Apps (in coordination with Google) which means there will be a host of new website/apps that all OS's will embrace (Apple will have to join in too eventually).

So my mind married these two ideas: what if we could make Microsoft open source a dead platform, and developers could introduce newer versions of IE there where PWAs are supported...we could have a great little ecosystem of WPs that are as modern as they come, and is maintained by a Linux-like community of developers coming up with awesome things.

Those who think an Android launcher can do the same thing need not comment honestly, you've missed the whole point of Windows Phone from the Start (pun intended).

What do you guys think? Do you think Microsoft would do that, or are patents a problem for them or what? Do you think we can get a big enough community together to petition for something like this?

Maybe if it was the Windows Mobile (i.e. last few versions of Winows CE for phones) per the article titlel that Windows Phone 7+ replaced...

 

[Cbarnhorst]

MSFT isn't even going to open source Windows 95 much less Windows Mobile. They are firm on that because of proprietarship issues for code still in Windows descending for decades. It would have to be redacted worse than an FBI dossier. It would take more time to fill in the gaps than to just write an open source mobile OS from scratch. I cannot fathom why anybody would ever want to bother. The Open Source community hasn't shown an interest in this sort of thing and there must be a reason. I want to see Andromeda and just move on.

 

[Wevenhuis]

Question: what would be the benefits of having windows 10 mobile open source?

Aside my question, my first reaction a year ago would be yes. Just like windows mobile 6.x days via xdadevelopers there was great potential to improve the OS.

Today I'm hesitant. As open sourece, to me, would mean less secure. It's something I enjoy a lot with the current official windows 10 mobile.

I would find it awesome though if microsoft, in collaboration with xda developers, would release an open source version that can be further tweaked and expanded in functionality and performance, without compromising the current security and stability now. A kind of half version. This would help keep the platform alive, alow current devices further longevity. The hardware is generally fine with many windows 10 mobile devices. For several devices a battery can be swapped out. Perhaps microsoft could also use this semi-official collaboration to further explore longterm performance and stability, which could help the windows and mobile program in the future, and benefit current users a bit longer. I think microsoft still has something good here still with windows 10 mobile. I certainly think it performs better than previous versions, although I do miss opportunities of further refinement, such as having a landscape mode, more live tile functionalities and a more well rounded continuum with app multitasking and more ubiquitous uwp app support. Perhaps this collaboration with xdadevelopers could help with that exploration and further help refine project andromeda and perhaps be an insurance to reenter a mobile market if the latter doesn't work out.

 

[gerrymad]

Time to let it die. No need to put it in the purgatory of being a relatively unpopular open source OS with which very few people will actually do anything.

 

[Heathcliff74]

Just open-source CShell

The kernel of Windows 10 mobile shares its code-base with Windows 10. Microsoft will not open-source the kernel for obvious reasons. But I don't think the kernel is interesting for OEM's and consumers. Microsoft is now working on Windows Core OS. This will also have the same code-base for the Windows shell (desktop, console, startmenu) across devices. This composable shell (CShell) also has components for phones (Andromeda). It would be very interesting if Microsoft would open-source CShell. Because many people see their phone as gadget. And gadgets should be customizable to someones likings, like installing custom launchers. This would be possible with an open-source CShell.

René (Heathcliff74)

 

[Chaos2000]

Microsoft is a software Giant but could not make even a dominant Windows Phone, Android goes open source and takes the lead in the mobile world, Microsoft in the other hand wasting time and making excuses. Apple also dominating to the mobile market and Microsoft still in third place, Why...cause they don't wanna go open source, if they really wanted people to take Windows Phones seriously then they wouldn't never made such a stupid mistakes as business people, Windows Phones doesn't have to be like a pc but it can operate like one, we all no exe will not happend, but xap could've run the same as exe just in a different code or just converted exe to xap, Microsoft was dum, stupid, they will keep on failing if they don't listen what the consumers want, give people what they ask for so that you can make millions at the end of the day.

 

[RAGE_13]

Microsoft should do what they did for the Linux based mobile phone - i.e. The Windows store app. Build an app that is a Linux emulator so that you can get the apps that are on the other phones. Yes it is true that you will have to go to the app to access the apps that you downloaded, but Microsoft won't have to release any of their code.

 

[AgentTheGreat]

Re: Just open-source CShell

The kernel of Windows 10 mobile shares its code-base with Windows 10. Microsoft will not open-source the kernel for obvious reasons. But I don't think the kernel is interesting for OEM's and consumers. Microsoft is now working on Windows Core OS. This will also have the same code-base for the Windows shell (desktop, console, startmenu) across devices. This composable shell (CShell) also has components for phones (Andromeda). It would be very interesting if Microsoft would open-source CShell. Because many people see their phone as gadget. And gadgets should be customizable to someones likings, like installing custom launchers. This would be possible with an open-source CShell.

René (Heathcliff74)

Unfortunately my point about Windows Phone 8.1 and NOT Windows 10 Mobile was not emphasized in the post. I know W10M is impossible to open-source, but WP8.1 is more of a possible choice for this and that's what I was asking.

 

[AgentTheGreat]

Today I'm hesitant. As open sourece, to me, would mean less secure. It's something I enjoy a lot with the current official windows 10 mobile.

Open source certainly doesn't mean less secure in the world of Linux.

 

[Sean Russell1]

I have the same feeling. It seems to me Microsoft is done with the consumer space altogether, and basically what I am asking is "now that you're leaving, please leave that project to us".

They need to keep at it with a single screen phone and not try another gimmicky reboot. Andromeda will be ready when it needs to come out. It is not ready now nor will it be ready for the next two or three years. That thing needs to look like it does in Black Mirror before it comes out and I'm almost sure it doesn't look like that right now.

 

[sfukaya]

IMHO, Microsoft should lower Windows Mobile development costs (Visual Studio) in other to increase the platform independent programmers and establish a strong app ecosystem.

 

[Heathcliff74]

Re: Just open-source CShell

Unfortunately my point about Windows Phone 8.1 and NOT Windows 10 Mobile was not emphasized in the post. I know W10M is impossible to open-source, but WP8.1 is more of a possible choice for this and that's what I was asking.

And my point is that open-sourcing CShell has more chance than open-sourcing WP81.

 

[Heathcliff74]

IMHO, Microsoft should lower Windows Mobile development costs (Visual Studio) in other to increase the platform independent programmers and establish a strong app ecosystem.

Visual Studio 2017 community edition has everything you need to build apps and it's completely free.

 

[sfukaya]

It's true, but I believe that many people begin learning IT tools (Windows, Office, etc) at their work whose company may have more than 250 computer or exceed the revenue community license limit. Lets assume that the company primarily develop in Android, but want to see (publishing, selling and yielding a profit) if it would be able support Windows Mobile too. In comparison to Android ("no costs"), purchasing Visual Studio Professional licenses for your team can be very expensive just to see and maintain an app for a small number of Windows Mobile users. So unless the company had been developing in Microsoft tech, it would be unlikely it will adopt it. And unless their developers research by themselves at their home, there is little incentive to develop for MS mobile.
TL;DR, developers of big companies with small IT budgets (IT is not their main business) are less likely to support Windows Mobile due too its development costs and small user base.

 

[Hirox K]

Visual Studio 2017 community edition has everything you need to build apps and it's completely free.

And not just UWP apps, Android & iOS apps too (same code). And if you are doing UWP, you can also open the door to IOT, AR, MR, Xboxes, Win10S, Win10ARM.
And, if you are in game industry... people who use Unity, Unreal or code for Nintendo Switch... are prob using VisualStudio already.

VisualStudio is free if you are not in a organization. SVN, GIT, ticket system, project manager are also free for team under 5 members.

I'm with DOGC_Kyle.
And my choice would be 3. Won't bother even if it's open-sourced, why not just buy a new phone with more supports? (I don't do nostalgia and I don't get attach to brands. I care about design then functionality, price come in 3rd) Most people do buy a new phone every 2-3 years right?

 

[fdruid]

EDIT: This poll is about making Windows Phone 8.1 (even partly) open source, and is not about Windows 10 Mobile because obviously that would be impossible due to so much shared code between Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile.

Hello guys.

I have been around on Windows Central for a relatively long time, and I watched as the platform slowly went to its grave step by step, mostly because of Microsoft's own doing. But that's not what I'm spending any more time on to debate anymore. I just point out that I was very bitter about the whole thing on Windows(Phone)Central for a long time.

Since Microsoft has given up on mobile completely (Andromeda aside as a mysterious project that may or may not be a phone or a tablet or a foldable new category) I got dreaming how nice it would have been if Microsoft, as embracing of Open Source initiative they've become recently, decided to open source Windows Phone 8.1. Maybe not 10 Mobile - because it has too much operational Windows 10 in it - but just 8.1 as an offshoot of Windows 8.1.

In other news, recently it was revealed that Microsoft is embracing PWAs or Progressive Web Apps (in coordination with Google) which means there will be a host of new website/apps that all OS's will embrace (Apple will have to join in too eventually).

So my mind married these two ideas: what if we could make Microsoft open source a dead platform (WP8.1), and developers could introduce newer versions of IE there where PWAs are supported...we could have a great little ecosystem of WPs that are as modern as they come, and is maintained by a Linux-like community of developers coming up with awesome things.

Those who think an Android launcher can do the same thing need not comment honestly, you've missed the whole point of Windows Phone from the Start (pun intended).

What do you guys think? Do you think Microsoft would do that, or are patents a problem for them or what? Do you think we can get a big enough community together to petition for something like this?

Sorry, but it's not viable in any way, it's actually a bit silly to think of it.

 

[colinkiama]

Never underestimate the power of the fans. They'll do amazing things for something they all love.

 

[anon(10409867)]

ReactOS is an open source OS and works in a similar fashion. So it is possible.