» Microsoft ends GPL saga; WUDT source code released Within Windows

Dec 2009

17 Comments

Microsoft ends GPL saga; WUDT source code released

Back in November, I wrote about Microsoft lifting GPL licensed code for use in a Microsoft Store tool, more specifically the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool. A few days after the initial report, Microsoft confirmed my findings and vowed to set things right.

Only a month later, access to the tool has now been restored and a new Microsoft Codeplex project has been stood up, housing all the source code for all to consume. I personally built the downloadable binary from the source, so I know it works as advertised.

WUDT source open in Microsoft Visual Studio (Form design view)

Figure: WUDT project open in Microsoft Visual Studio 2008

You’re probably wondering… where did the ImageMaster project go? Microsoft unpublished the project from Codeplex after receiving a request from the author to do so. I suspect he freaked out after half the internet started linking to the project – understandable – and pulled the code. Here’s hoping the author returns…

For those curious, I’ll be submitting a patch to support imgburn-created ISOs, eliminating the need for my separate tool.

Interframe

When exactly will your patch to support imgburn-created ISOs be released?

Rafael

You can use the tool in the interim, otherwise TBD.

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Brandon

Well, I hope they accept your patch. This tool is quite useful.
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Balnites

When I tried to install it, I got this msg:

“This application requires the Image Mastering API v2.
Please install the Image Mastering API then run this installer again.”

but the Image Mastering API v2 is not on the download site.
Guilherme C.

Here it is the link Balnites, http://bit.ly/DD8AP

Hope I’ve helped you, ;D
http://www.winajuda.com Felipe Zorzo

@Balnites, download IMAPI here
http://ebb.org/bkuhn Bradley M. Kuhn

Congratulations to you, Rafael. Thanks for your work on this. I’ve also posted a public congratulations to you in my blog.
Vincent J. Anzilotti

Of course, Microsoft attempts to blame free open source code, under GPL v2, for their requirement of needing to install Microsoft Dot Net Framework v2 and the Image Mastering API (application programming interface) before installing WDUT!

–> Why didn’t Microsoft develop it’s own software solution to install their own software product?

Microsoft originally released WUDT in October, which took until December the 10th to release WDUT under GPL v2.

But, “Before you run the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download tool, make sure that you have already purchased Windows 7 ISO download from Microsoft Store” so that means the FREE GPL v2 open source software isn’t available without FIRST making a purchase? And that is why everyone has been direct linking the tool!

“If you have purchased Windows 7 but have not yet downloaded the ISO file, you can download the file from your Microsoft Store Account.” which the Microsoft Store claims!

Isn’t FREE open source software, under the GPL v2 license agreement terms, suppose to be available freely? In my opinion, Microsoft has bundled the free open source intellectual property with their proprietary! Nobody can gain access to the Microsoft Store without first becoming a member of Windows Live ID!

So that’s another Microsoft requirement, to gain access to the FREE open source code intellectual property under the GPL v2 license agreement that everyone MUST obtain and join Microsoft as a Windows Live ID to be eligible? Now, we see, what it means to be FREE, under Microsoft’s terms!
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Austin Wise

Nice attempt at a troll Vincent.

I find it a little odd that the author of ImageMaster would pull his code over this. You would think he would be excited about people checking out his program. He could give it a cool motto like “so good Microsoft ~~stole~~ licensed it”.
Simon Forsman

Vincent, no, GPL licensed software is not required to be available for free, the sourcecode however must be available at no additional cost to those who recieved or bought a binary and those who recieve or buy the software get the right to make and sell or give away their own copies (modified or not) under the GPL aswell (Which tends to push the price down to zero).

Bundling GPL software with non GPL software is commonly done by most commercial Linux distributions and is considered perfectly acceptable as long as no linking is done. (There are also exceptions in the GPL to allow GPL licensed software to link with non GPL system libraries (Since it would be impossible to write any useful GPL software for a proprietary OS otherwise).

I’m able to download the tool and the code without any account or without owning Win7, the only current flaw is that the download page states that i have to agree with the GPL in order to download the software (Its not necessary, Its perfectly fine to recieve and use GPL licensed software without accepting the license (see point 5 of the GPLv2 or point 9 of v3). (The v3 is a bit more clear and also includes exceptions for ancillary propagation using P2P (So that you can download using for example bittorrent without first accepting the license))
http://www.gadgetsleuth.com Gadget Sleuth

Nice to see that MS is being more receptive to outside developers ideas; as any OS follower knows, open source/community source is the future of most OSes down the road.
Max

I tried using your tool on a Windows 2003 Server iso from MSDN, and I still get the “invalid iso” error. Did they change something?
phrostbyte

Hello Rafael,

I’m currently working on a fork of WUDT, to add some features. Currently hosted at : http://github.com/phrostbyte/Linux-USB-DVD-Download-Tool

I’m very interested in your patch. Is there anywhere you can post it such that I can make available in the source tree?

Thank you!