Microsoft stole my code!

[MyndFyre]

Not really Microsoft, but someone working for them, Clarity Consulting.

Check this out - I released "Facebook UI for ASP.NET" to open source last March under the BSD license.  Here's a link to the source browser: http://facebookui.codeplex.com/SourceControl/changeset/view/17552.  Go to /trunk/Projects/Terralever.Facebook.UI/FbmlControls/Age18Plus.cs.  Here's their source browser: http://facebooktoolkit.codeplex.com/SourceControl/changeset/view/39697 - go to /DEV/Source/Facebook.Web/FbmlControls/Age18Plus.cs. 

Note:
* Same base class name (MinimumAgeControl) - not terribly surprising, but interesting nonetheless.
* <inheritdoc /> and protected internal
* The name of the constant FbmlConstants.FB_AGE_18_PLUS.

For more fun, check out MinimumAgeControl.cs and GoogleAnalytics.cs.  In MinimumAgeControl, review the CreateContents method and the Render method; in GoogleAnalytics, check out the AddAttributesToRender method.

What will I do?  I don't know.  All they didn't do was include my copyright notice.  But, it is fair to say that, this was an opportunity for my contribution to be noticed by Microsoft and maybe get recruited to work there.  That's a big opportunity cost lost.  Especially since Microsoft uses it on their site. 

[deadly7]

Sue them. It's the American way.

[rabbit]

Contact the EFF.

[Sidoh]

Interesting, Myndy.  If you apply, this definitely seems the sort of thing you could bring up.

"what kind of projects have you worked on?"
"many kinds, and you stole at least one of them.  ya dicks.  give me a job or i'm going to sue your asses."

Contact the EFF.

That's a good idea in general, but maybe not if you're seeking employment with them.

[nslay]

Kudos to you for using BSD license.  As ironic as this sounds, your code may never have seen such widespread service had it been under a restrictive license like GPL.  I would imagine that this applies to many BSD components used in Windows.  For example, the Internet may not have been IP-based if the BSD implementation of IP was under a restrictive license.  There were many competing network protocols (like SNA for example) that were closed.  It is a pity that you weren't given your due credit.  You can try complaining I suppose.

[MyndFyre]

Kudos to you for using BSD license.  As ironic as this sounds, your code may never have seen such widespread service had it been under a restrictive license like GPL.  I would imagine that this applies to many BSD components used in Windows.  For example, the Internet may not have been IP-based if the BSD implementation of IP was under a restrictive license.  There were many competing network protocols (like SNA for example) that were closed.  It is a pity that you weren't given your due credit.  You can try complaining I suppose.

I always use BSD or MIT licenses.  I'm not a fan of GPL; it's like a cancer IMO.

I will be complaining; we'll see how it goes.

[iago]

I like GPL and the concepts behind it.

But at the same time, I get into Licensing Hell whenever I try to use others' code, so I license most of my stuff with as unrestrictive licenses as I can to prevent others from going through the same pains.

[Joe]

Kudos to you for using BSD license.  As ironic as this sounds, your code may never have seen such widespread service had it been under a restrictive license like GPL.  I would imagine that this applies to many BSD components used in Windows.  For example, the Internet may not have been IP-based if the BSD implementation of IP was under a restrictive license.  There were many competing network protocols (like SNA for example) that were closed.  It is a pity that you weren't given your due credit.  You can try complaining I suppose.

I always use BSD or MIT licenses.  I'm not a fan of GPL; it's like a cancer IMO.

I will be complaining; we'll see how it goes.

GPL is more like swine flu without medication than cancer. I always use BSD/MIT, or just public domain it.

Hopefully things go your way. Like, very your way.

[Sidoh]

Kudos to you for using BSD license.  As ironic as this sounds, your code may never have seen such widespread service had it been under a restrictive license like GPL.  I would imagine that this applies to many BSD components used in Windows.  For example, the Internet may not have been IP-based if the BSD implementation of IP was under a restrictive license.  There were many competing network protocols (like SNA for example) that were closed.  It is a pity that you weren't given your due credit.  You can try complaining I suppose.

I always use BSD or MIT licenses.  I'm not a fan of GPL; it's like a cancer IMO.

I will be complaining; we'll see how it goes.

GPL is more like swine flu without medication than cancer. I always use BSD/MIT, or just public domain it.

Hopefully things go your way. Like, very your way.

The cancer analogy works just fine...

[iago]

Kudos to you for using BSD license.  As ironic as this sounds, your code may never have seen such widespread service had it been under a restrictive license like GPL.  I would imagine that this applies to many BSD components used in Windows.  For example, the Internet may not have been IP-based if the BSD implementation of IP was under a restrictive license.  There were many competing network protocols (like SNA for example) that were closed.  It is a pity that you weren't given your due credit.  You can try complaining I suppose.

I always use BSD or MIT licenses.  I'm not a fan of GPL; it's like a cancer IMO.

I will be complaining; we'll see how it goes.

GPL is more like swine flu without medication than cancer. I always use BSD/MIT, or just public domain it.

Hopefully things go your way. Like, very your way.

The cancer analogy works just fine...

Cancer isn't contagious to other people (projects), whereas swine flu (or any flu...) can.

That being said, cancer spreads within the body, taking over other cells, making it apt as well.

In either case, I disagree. Both cases imply accidental spreading, whereas you know exactly what you're doing with GPL.

If accidentally using GPL code => cancer, in the sense that it leads to pain and eventual death, then accidentally using commercial/proprietary code => actual death. I don't think you can separate those, and I don't think either works.

[MyndFyre]

All told I reviewed their project vs. mine and concluded that about 40 source files were copied totalling 2,700 lines or so.

I put together an Acrobat file that I'll be emailing to the offenders that captures 10 of the copied files and pretty much makes it obvious that it was copied.  Not sure what they're going to do....

[iago]

If I was you, I'd line my windows with tinfoil, get a better alarm system (that isn't plugged into the phonelines), and start digging yourself an escape tunnel.

[warz]

All told I reviewed their project vs. mine and concluded that about 40 source files were copied totalling 2,700 lines or so.

I put together an Acrobat file that I'll be emailing to the offenders that captures 10 of the copied files and pretty much makes it obvious that it was copied.  Not sure what they're going to do....

Most likely not respond to you. They won't do anything unless you make a big fuss about it, which would probably not involve emailing them directly. Who knows, maybe they do have the time to read their thousands upon thousands of complaint mails, though. Unless this is a smaller company, and not Microsoft, as you mentioned above, I think.

[Sidoh]

Cancer isn't contagious to other people (projects), whereas swine flu (or any flu...) can.

That being said, cancer spreads within the body, taking over other cells, making it apt as well.

In either case, I disagree. Both cases imply accidental spreading, whereas you know exactly what you're doing with GPL.

If accidentally using GPL code => cancer, in the sense that it leads to pain and eventual death, then accidentally using commercial/proprietary code => actual death. I don't think you can separate those, and I don't think either works.

There's a reason the phrase "stretching the analogy" exists.  There's no reason an analogy has to cover every property of its target.

[iago]

Cancer isn't contagious to other people (projects), whereas swine flu (or any flu...) can.

That being said, cancer spreads within the body, taking over other cells, making it apt as well.

In either case, I disagree. Both cases imply accidental spreading, whereas you know exactly what you're doing with GPL.

If accidentally using GPL code => cancer, in the sense that it leads to pain and eventual death, then accidentally using commercial/proprietary code => actual death. I don't think you can separate those, and I don't think either works.

There's a reason the phrase "stretching the analogy" exists.  There's no reason an analogy has to cover every property of its target.

Then what it comes down to is using a loaded term to provoke an emotional response rather than a rational one.

I call it an inappropriate analogy.