Well, I am no lawyer but reading the latest IFS EULA available at this link:
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/ddk/ifskit/ServerIFSEULA.mspx
I notice a couple of interesting items right off:
(i) Microsoft Windows Server 2003 IFS source code, sample development source
code, tools, and other object code (“IFS Code”)
- GRANT OF LICENSE. This EULA grants you the following rights:
. a. SOFTWARE PRODUCT.
.
.
.
You may reproduce, license and distribute the IFS Code as part of the
IFS Drivers in object code form only to your end users, provided you first
obtain a valid digital signature from Microsoft for the IFS Drivers pursuant
to any additional instructions in the SOFTWARE PRODUCT and you comply with
the Redistribution Requirements described below.
. b. Redistribution Requirements. You may reproduce and distribute an
unlimited number of copies of the IFS Code as described above in object code
form, provided that: (i) you first obtain a valid digital signature from
Microsoft for the IFS Drivers pursuant to instructions in the IFS Kit; (ii)
you distribute the IFS Code only in conjunction with and as a part of your
IFS Drivers for the OS Product; (iii) the IFS Code only operates in
conjunction with the OS Product identified in Section 1(a) above; (iv) you
do not use Microsoft’s name, logo, or trademarks to advertise, market or
promote your IFS Drivers for the OS Product without the express written
permission of Microsoft; (v) you include a valid copyright notice on your
IFS Drivers; (vi) you agree to indemnify, hold harmless, and defend
Microsoft from and against any claims or lawsuits, including attorney’s
fees, that arise or result from the use or distribution of your IFS Drivers;
and (vii) you notify Microsoft of your date of distribution of the IFS
Drivers by e-mail to xxxxx@microsoft.com (or such other e-mail
address as Microsoft may designate) no later than sixty (60) days prior to
such date.
Okay, so to answer your question, if FileMon derived in anyway from sample
source in the IFS kit, then yes distributing source to same was breaking the
law. Perhaps this is the real reason source is no longer available.
Further, FileMon’s approach to the problem may well have been unique, as
their code did not do what a typical file system filter driver should. In
order to write a proper file system filter driver, I don’t know how you
could avoid deriving your work from IFS source. Proper information just
isn’t available from any other source, and I am positive MS could make this
claim successfully in court if they were so inclined.
In addition, I notice the ONLY tool maker in this space is shipping their
tools in object form.
But, all this is moot as the file system driver space doesn’t have any
problems with 3rd party drivers right?
–
Bill McKenzie
Compuware Corporation
Watch your IRPs/IRBs/URBs/SRBs/NDIS pkts with our free WDMSniffer tool:
http://frontline.compuware.com/nashua/patches/utility.htm
“Nick Ryan” wrote in message news:xxxxx@ntdev…
>
> > There are no good examples because Microsoft probably doesn’t have the
time
> > and/or inclination to produce such. No one else can because the
licensing
> > restrictions of the IFS kit STRICTLY forbid such. You couldn’t possibly
> > post a free sample driver that uses ntifs.h to any public location, even
if
> > you wanted to, without breaking several provisions in the IFS kit
licensing
> > agreement.
>
> Hmm, how do you read this? You mean the SysInternals duo were breaking
> their license all of the years they had FileMon source code posted on
> their web site? The IFS kit license (I’m looking at the XP SP1 final
> release license) does include a number of strange provisions, but
> nothing I see that would prohibit the public distribution of code that
> merely includes ntifs.h, as long as the code is not a derivative of one
> of Microsoft’s samples.
>
> –
> Nick Ryan (MVP for DDK)
>
>
>
