Microsoft Puts Windows 7 USB/DVD Tool under GPL
Microsoft had released a tool in mid-November that generated bootable USB media or a DVD from the download version of Windows 7 and that conflicted with the GNU Public License. They now followed up by putting the tool under GPLv2.
Microsoft's open source community manager Peter Galli announced the release of the Windows 7 USB/DVD Tool (WUDT for short) and its licensing on the Port25 website designed to communicate with the open source community. Galli indicated that WUDT can now again be downloaded from the Codeplex.com site.
As was revealed earlier, WUDT in its original form included code not originating from Microsoft that was under GPL.
The release under GPLv2 wasn't without some changes made due to licensing reasons. In the original version Microsoft packaged a variety of programs required for installation, among them the .NET framework, IMAPI to burn DVDs and Bootsect.exe, a Windows 7 program that makes USB sticks bootable. The three programs must now be installed separately because of their separate licensing. Microsoft provides an installation guide for the purpose.
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