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Microsoft adds XAML to 'Open Specification' list


By David Worthington


 David Worthington
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March 28, 2008 —  (Page 1 of 2)
Microsoft is showing off one more facet of its once-hidden intellectual property. On Tuesday, it placed the preliminary technical specifications for XAML—the Extensible Application Markup Language—under its Open Specification Promise, or OSP.

The technical documentation will enable third parties to implement XAML formats in their client, server and tool products. It includes both the 2006 implementation of Microsoft’s XAML object mapping specification and the vocabulary specification for Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF).

A spokesperson said that the final XAML documentation would be published by June 30.

XAML is a declarative XML-based language used to define data binding, events and UI elements in WPF and Silverlight applications, and to define workflows in Windows Workflow Foundation.

Tom Robertson, general manager of interoperability and standards at Microsoft, said that the release of XAML under the OSP is intended to simplify the building of applications using .NET by increasing transparency and forming an ecosystem of designers and developers around it.

“The lifeblood of any application is its third-party ecosystem,” said Yankee Group analyst Laura DiDio, who added that the obvious reasons to document XAML were for compatibility, interoperability and integrations with other applications.

Microsoft has vowed to abide by self-imposed interoperability principles to ensure open connections, promote data portability, support industry standards and to openly engage its customers and the industry, including open-source communities.

The interoperability principles apply to the company’s high-volume business products, including Exchange Server 2007, Office 2007, Office SharePoint Server 2007, SQL Server 2008, Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, including the .NET Framework, and all future editions of those products.

DiDio noted that by publishing the XAML documentation this early in its development, Microsoft was killing three birds with one stone: promoting its brand, courting goodwill and developers, and keeping up with Adobe and its Flash platform, which competes with Silverlight.

Microsoft’s Robertson noted that XAML is already fully documented on the MSDN Web site for developers using XAML to create Windows-based applications. XAML is now available for third parties to implement under OSP, meaning Microsoft has offered what it deems as an “irrevocable promise” to companies that it will grant patent rights for claims that are necessary to implement XAML, without having to sign a license, pay any fee or inform Microsoft.


Related Search Term(s): Microsoft, open source, XAML

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