Microsoft has had some issues with third-party developers trying to make drivers for its .NET platform. Developers have been calling in all the time trying to get assistance because they don’t have access to the source code, but this will change now. Microsoft will not release the source code freely, but it will make it possible for developers to log on and browse the code for Visual Studio 2008 and .NET Framework 3.5. This is will certainly make it a lot easier for developers to debug their drivers and .NET applications, and of course ease the burden of Microsoft’s own engineers and programmers.
To begin with Microsoft will offer the source code, with comments, for the .NET Base Class Libraries, ASP.NET, Windows Forms, ADO.NET, XML, and WPF. WCF, Workflow, and LINQ will be added later on.
The source code will be available through the Microsoft Reference License. Visual Studio 2008 will also offer the possibility to download corresponding source code directly from a server through the debugger.
“You’ll be able to download the .NET Framework source libraries via a standalone install, allowing you to use any text editor to browse it locally,” Scott Guthrie, General Manager of the .NET Framework said. “We will also provide integrated debugging support of it within Visual Studio 2008.”
