Is F # open source?

Question

Is F # open source? if not, why does Microsoft provide the source code for the F # modules?

EDIT

(November 4, 2010) Everything has changed, see Brian McKenna's answer .

Answer 1

Right now, the F # team seems pretty busy with all of the "Productization" efforts. One email with licensing plans here .

As we complete this next year, our plan is to make the corresponding initial release of the F # compiler components under MS-PL.

and

Along the way, we plan the initial release of MSR "Power Pack" components, also under MS-PL. These include tools such as fslex.exe and fsyacc.exe and some libraries. These may be released more often and may include experimental components.

FROM

In general, we strive for the source code, the releases that we create to open F # are stable and consistent with the supported releases.

And perhaps the most enjoyable bit :):

In general, we prefer to "do" rather than "pre-announce."

Also note that if you do not use the term "Open Source", that is, "approved by some organizations as open source," then the source code is already included in the F # distribution. (And using F12 "Go to Definition" in VS will lead you directly to the source files.)

Answer 2

As of November 2010, the F # compiler and library are released under the Apache license. They are now part of F # PowerPack .

You can read more from the message reporting this .

Answer 3

The "Microsoft Source Shared Source License," which publishes F #, is not approved by the Open Source Initiative, or by the Free Software Foundation (although a couple of other Microsoft licenses).

The bottom line is that sharing source code has little to do with creating an open source product. The essential point is the license, which (dis) allows you to use and modify the source more or less freely. Without such a license, the source is practically useless.

Answer 4

It is published under the open source MS-Research license option.

I do not know if this is open "officially."

Answer 5

The f # 2008 release of CTP is under a slightly modified Microsoft Research Shared Source (“MSR-SSLA”) license agreement .

In fact, you can change it, but MS gets permission to use all your changes for free.

The team had a lot of talk about switching to a more open MS-PL license, I don’t know how it went, as well as what consequences the plan for including f # in VS2010 gives.

Answer 6

Has anyone really tried to build F # from the sources included in the release? It seems to me that some parts are missing, which prevents this. This is an add-on to a license that is not approved by OSI. So no, F # is not open source.