Microsoft took a few people by surprise earlier this week by releasing the source code for its old MS-DOS and Word for Windows software. The source codes for both programs are now available to the public, but that doesn’t mean we should get excited about the possibilities of forking Microsoft’s software just yet.

So why did Microsoft do this?

Apparently it’s done it for historical reasons. Redmond teamed up with the Computer History Museum in San Jose to bring MS-DOS and Word for Windows to the public eye. According to Microsoft, the source code for both MS-DOS 1.1 and 2.0, and Microsoft Word for Windows 1.1a will be available. However, the source codes are only available under a ‘research license’, so that geeks can look at it to understand the roots of today’s personal computing hardware.

“On Tuesday, we dusted off the source code for early versions of MS-DOS and Word for Windows. With the help of the Computer History Museum, we are making this code available to the public for the first time,” said Microsoft in a blog post.

“The museum has done an excellent job of curating some of the most significant historical software programs in computing history. As part of this ongoing project, the museum will make available two of the most widely used software programs of the 1980’s, MS DOS 1.1 and 2.0 and Microsoft Word for Windows 1.1a, to help future generations of technologists better understand the roots of personal computing.”

Definitely NOT open-source, but it should

Just because Microsoft has released the source code for its older software doesn’t mean that anyone can use it for personal means. To do so, Microsoft would need to make MS-DOS and Word for Windows open-source, but it’s unlikely to do that anytime soon.

Unfortunately, Microsoft is just too set in its ways, seeing itself as a software company above all else, in spite of the hyperbole from ex-CEO Steve Ballmer about becoming a ‘hardware and services company’. And that’s a shame, not only for us, but for Microsoft too, for it’s missing a huge opportunity by sticking rigidly to its licensing fee model, most especially where Windows Phone is concerned, and even with Windows desktop.

The case for making Windows Phone open-source is plain for all to see. Just take a look at Google, which gives Android away for free and would have the mobile space almost entirely wrapped up if not for its pesky rivals over at Cupertino. Android’s open-source nature is especially successful in developing countries, where OEMs see little reason to pay Microsoft’s fees to license Windows Phone.

Why would anyone pay for Windows Phone when Android is free?

photo credit: Johan Larsson via photopin cc

But Microsoft could go further and even consider making its desktop software free as well. I’ve argued this case before, and I’ll argue it again – Microsoft has a problem in that people don’t really like Windows 8. PC sales are slowing drastically and it’s quickly running out of ideas, to the point that it’s now attempting to bully people into upgrading with scare stories of how Windows XP is set to become a massive security threat when its support ends next month.

Giving away Windows for free is the easiest solution. It would help its software to spread at a far faster rate than it’s doing now, and it would help to accelerate the pace of innovation. The move would also engender more trust in Microsoft, and this would in turn infect both the users and the developers – after all, people are more likely to use software and build applications for it if they can see the entire source code.

Such a move would also help Microsoft to allay the fears of its more paranoid users, particularly with rumors that agencies like the NSA have built a secret backdoors into its products. Publishing the source code of its most recent Windows operating systems, even under a research license, would do much to clear this up.

Recently there’s been rumors that Microsoft might be moving in this direction, with the company said to be considering giving away Windows Phone to certain OEMs free of charge. This isn’t quite the same as making it open-source, but it’s a step in the right direction. Similarly, it may also start building cheap Android devices through Nokia – another positive step.

But it remains to be seen if Microsoft is brave enough to go the whole hog and make Windows entirely open-source. For sure, Microsoft would lose a ton of cash from its licensing fees, but that wouldn’t mean it’s signing its own death warrant. Above all else, Microsoft needs to ensure that its software is widely used – and right now, it’s becoming less popular by the day. Making Windows open-source will tempt new developers and new users alike, ensuring it has a widely used platform through which it can sell all kind of other services, software and ads.

That’s what Google does anyhow, and it seems to be working.

Main photo credit: Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com via photopin cc