Microsoft Makes It Easier to Hack the Kinect

The Beta SDK FAQ is chock full of interesting issues, including:<p>Not being able to distribute applications standalone, users must also download SDK to get the runtimes No commercial use, and on top of that, due to the fact that MS cannot predict the usage of the kinect SDK, all SDK derived applications should not be considered “allowed under the SDK”. Microsoft owns the right to say what software you can use the hardware with, and using the kinect with anything outside of the SDK is not allowed. Even with this wording in place, the MSDN Channel 9 launch video lauded all of the open source applications currently available for the kinect. The SDK will not run on Virtual Machines<p>Source: <a href="http://www.nonpolynomial.com/2011/06/16/console-controls-usage-and-the-kinect-sdk/" rel="nofollow">http://www.nonpolynomial.com/2011/06/16/console-controls-usa...</a>

'Hack' is probably not the right word here. And if it is, it's used incorrectly. How about:<p>"to use the"<p>"to create apps with the"<p>"to hack with the"

talk about missing the boat.

Good to see them embracing this crowd.

Not easier in any way. The openni sdk is much open as it allows the developer to use multiple operating systems, multiple depth cameras and a more permissive license.<p>So the article and the herd got it all wrong, in fact the world would be better if this sdk was not released, and in my opinion without microsoft (see the latest fear mongering about webgl from a company that takes ages to patch security holes).