Got Open Source? It can be Easy to Overlook: The Recent Microsoft Incident

For those of you who were not following this case, Microsoft’s incident in November with their Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool shows just how easy it is to overlook open source code during code review. The fact that Microsoft’s product included General Public License v2 (GPLv2) code – a license that carries certain obligations that were not followed - was originally reported by blogger Rafael Rivera. Following an investigation, Microsoft released a statement saying that it was not intentional, that they had contracted a third party to create the tool, and that they missed it during their code review process. Though their original statement mentioned that they would make the source code and binaries available as per GPLv2 obligations, Computerworld reported on November 25 that Microsoft now plans to issue a new version of the tool.

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Legal Compliance: From Software Development to Delivery

In the age of open source and large scale outsourcing, both assuring the quality of software and taking it to market means ascertaining its legal compliance as well.

Numerous legal cases in recent years have highlighted the business risks and the enormous costs incurred when this is not done properly. These costs stem from involvement in judicial procedures, software recalls, fixing legal compliance issues post-release, and missed market opportunities caused by delays in the development process. Other consequences include lowered valuations in due diligence processes triggered by customers, potential or existing investors, mergers and acquisitions, and other major transactions.

This article lists 3 major aspects of assuring compliance to legal obligations, outlines options for integration within the development process, and looks at items that need to be addressed from a business and project management standpoint.

Download the full whitepaper here.

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Protecode Release 3.2

Protecode has the world’s fastest and most reliable software intellectual property (IP) engine, allowing real-time detection and management of external licensing and copyright issues as they arise. Detect common code early, obtain a bill of materials, understand licensing obligations and achieve mandated IP governance all seamlessly within established workflows. Protecode’s tools integrate seamlessly within the operating system and support multiple IDEs.

3.2 features and enhancements include:

• Enhanced configuration interface for connectivity settings and testing
• Separation of full and partial matches in report overview
• Project Match Weighting algorithms to reduce report “noise”
• Streamlined evaluation process for installation and setup
• Data aging for efficient updating of local pedigree information

Download the latest release notes and user guide from our resources page.

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Developer IP Assistant: A Preventive Solution

Protecode Developer IP Assistant is the industry’s first real-time preventive software Intellectual Property Management solution. It continuously monitors and checks for IP violations as code is being developed.

Protecode Developer IP Assistant (DA) is a client service that detects code as it is introduced into projects by the developer (binary or source, brought into a project through cut & paste or drag & drop of code snippets, or by bringing complete files or folders from an external source such as a web site or a memory stick). It integrates seamlessly within the operating system and is IDE-independent. Protecode DA is a distributed IP management system solution with centralized control. Protecode DA operation is transparent and unobtrusive, and has no impact on existing development practices.

Find out more about the Protecode Developer IP Assistant.

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New from Protecode: Library IP Auditor

Protecode Library IP Auditor is a platform independent application that detects and analyzes files as they are checked into a repository and notifies if an established IP policy is violated.

Protecode Library IP Auditor ensures that all files committed to a revision control system are compliant with an organization’s intellectual property (IP) policy. Whenever new files have been committed to a pre-defined portion of the repository, IP analysis is performed on those files to determine the code pedigree and its associated licensing and copyright obligations. Violations against the established IP policy are then reported and an email is sent to the administrator. Protecode Library IP Auditor is operating system independent and integrates with either SVN or Perforce revision control systems. Support for other repositories can be provided on demand.

Find out more about the Protecode Library IP Auditor.

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Download a Free Trial

Just a reminder that you can head to our site to download a fully functional version to test.

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Click here to go to our download site.

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