Is the Windows open source dream about to come true?

Microsoft could be ready to reveal the Windows source code for the first time at some point in the not-so-distant future as part of the exciting new era under new CEO Satya Nadella.

First reported by CNET, Microsoft engineer and technical fellow Mark Russinovich told the ChefCon summit that "it's definitely possible" the OS at the heart of most PCs worldwide will one day become open source to sit aside the likes of Linux.

Wired went on to add that the vision is part of "the new Microsoft" being led by recently appointed CEO Nadella and goes against the reigns of both Steve Ballmer and Bill Gates where the source code was as closely guarded as the colonel's secret recipe.

Before anyone gets too excited, Russinovich added that, even though discussions have taken place and continue to happen, the move to an open source model isn't expected to take place any time in the near future and is instead part of the longer term thinking of the company.

More and more open

Windows currently sits alongside Apple's OS X in the closed OS category due to the fact the code used to enable the software is not made available publicly. Other operating systems, such as Linux, make that code available and it makes it easier for the developer community to edit to their hearts content.

This isn't the first time that Microsoft broke with its closed-sourcing tradition. In November it made the .NET development platform open source and it has been making a concerted effort to take its applications onto Android and iOS platforms ever since Nadella took over the CEO role a little over a year ago.

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