Microsoft furious at $2,000 bounty for open source Kinect drivers
Bounty increases as Redmond expresses ire
A $2,000 bounty is being offered to the first developer who creates an open source driver for the Kinect, despite the proposal meeting with Microsoft's staunch disapproval.
The original bounty was $1,000, offered by Adafruit Industries, an open source electronics seller and advocate. However, when Microsoft found out about the bounty and voiced its dissatisfaction Adafruit decided to double the offer.
“Microsoft does not condone the modification of its products,” a Microsoft spokesperson told CNET. “With Kinect, Microsoft built in numerous hardware and software safeguards designed to reduce the chances of product tampering. Microsoft will continue to make advances in these types of safeguards and work closely with law enforcement and product safety groups to keep Kinect tamper-resistant.”
The bounty appears to have caused a rift between the two companies, with Adafruit not taking kindly to Microsoft's response. “Don’t make us up it to $3k,” it threatened, which surely won't go down well at Redmond.
Prospective bounty hunters are require to develop drivers for the Kinect for any operating system, but they must be fully documented and issued under an open source license to be eligible. Developers must also write an application demonstrating the driver and showcasing video and depth.
The outcome of such a driver, should Microsoft not take actions to prevent its circulation, could allow the Kinect to work with other systems beside the Xbox 360, such as a rival console or even a PC or Mac, giving new possible uses for the motion capture hands-free device.
The Kinect was released in the US on 4 November, with the European release set for 10 November.
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Go there...http://www.techeye.net/software/microsoft-furious-at-2000-bounty-for-open-source-kinect-drivers
Like he said... Tampering? Law Enforcement!? They are Selling the thing, not renting it, Right??? Doe's Microsoft Really think they have the Right to tell US, that when we Buy a Hardware Product from them. That We don't have the rite to do what ever we Please with it!? I love to Customize My Cars and Trucks, my Tools, my Computers and even my Clothes... And I will continue to do so, for Darn Sure!!! I may wait until the warranty is out. If I bought it new and I really care to waste my time and money sending something back in to the Manufacturer. Just hoping that the Company who produced the cheap crap which lasted a fraction of the time it should have before it just stopped working will actually fix it right! But, what ever it is, it is mine... I paid for it and it belongs to Me! Glad I couldn't Care Less about this Kinect thing anyway! Heck I can already control my Computer with the "Wave of a Hand" by using my Web Cam and some Free and Open Source Software... for FREE! See the links below...
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- Microsoft furious at $2,000 bounty for open source Kinect drivers - Bounty increases as Redmond expresses ire | TechEye
- kinect - Google Search
- Kinect - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Kinect - Xbox.com
I think Kinect is cool but I don't have an XBox. :(
If there were decent Linux drivers, I might actually want one of these things. (And I suppose I'd want to buy it from Adafruit, if at all possible. :) )
That MS can do that to equipment for the information highway and barely raise an disinterested mutter shows just how they managed to keep people in the 19thC with their approach to business .
Reminds me of the Emo story: When I was young my Dad always kept a door locked and wouldn't let me through it. When I got older he unlocked the door and I saw amazing things that I'd never imagined - like the sky and trees and birds...