Microsoft Bares More Code with New CE .NET

Microsoft officials announced Tuesday the
availability of its latest version of Windows CE .NET, featuring a host of
new enhancements for the operating system powering handheld and “smart”
devices.

The Redmond, Wash., software giant has been lambasted in the past by
developers for keeping Windows source code under wraps, but has shown evidence of loosening its hold a little.

Version 4.1 features more source code, officials said, for developers to
test and troubleshoot devices and applications running on the Windows CE
.NET OS. They’ve also made improvements to the source code browser, a
searchable database that points developers to a particular area of the
source code interfacing with the application or device.

The OS enhancement also sports a host of new technology enhancements:

• IPv6 support, which is becoming more and more popular as a domain name
  addressing specification overseas
• Users can view Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Adobe Acrobat and image
  files
• Device emulator improvements, letting programmers test residential
  gateways and set-top boxes
• Speech application program interface (API) improvements.
• Updated .NET Compact Framework beta, for smart devices and handhelds
  using Web services applications
• Performance improvements: 15 percent gains with Internet Explorer, a
  20 percent gain for remote display protocol (RDP) users and a Windows Media
  performance boost of 20 percent

According to Microsoft officials, there have been more than 125,000
dowloads of parts of the Windows CE .NET source code since the source code
was released to developers in February, under the Shared
Source Initiative.

Bill Gates, Microsoft chairman and chief software architect, has been
making the rounds this week in academic
circles, touting the company’s efforts to open up more of its source
code to developers, and also get some ideas on future enhancements to the OS.

“Collaboration between industry and academia is crucial to deliver on our
shared vision for the future of technology and education,” Gates said to
group of 325 faculty researchers Monday afternoon. “Microsoft remains
committed to deepening its relationship with academia, because only be
working together can we create the next generation of computing technology.”

This collaboration made IPv6, which greatly expands the available number of
possible IP addresses, a possibility in version 4.1. Teachers used the
shared code to develop a program that lets IPv6 run on Windows CE .NET.

Microsoft officials say they have been working with Hitachi , NEC , Samsung and ViewSonic on a joint
development program to create Windows CE .NET-based devices for the future.