Microsoft provides Office source code to governments

Looks like Microsoft is beginning to budge a little bit on its closed source code policy, at least with its approach when dealing with governments and international organizations. In specific non-profit cases, it has decided to allow certain entities access to the source code so that they can take the time to review it. This could very well be the first step to a major change on the horizon with Microsoft. Guess we will have to wait and see.

Facing growing competition from open source software providers, Microsoft Corp. has decided to allow governments and international organizations access to source code for its Office 2003 productivity suite.

The Redmond, Washington, company said on Sunday that it would be offering governments access to the Office code under a shared source license as part of its Government Security Program. The U.K. government has already signed up to see the code, Microsoft said.

The move is aimed at shoring up confidence in the security and interoperability of Microsoft software as it faces stiffer competition in the public sector from rivals such as Sun Microsystems Inc., which has been touting growing support among governments for its open source productivity software, dubbed StarOffice.