BSkyB Open Sources its Set Top Box (STB) Software

written by: Richard Kastelein

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Published on Saturday, 02 October 2010 12:25

Broadband News reports today that BSkyB is tearing down the walled gardens when it comes to it's Set Top Boxes (STBs) and is in the process of downloading open source software to its installed base of over three million Sky+ HD receivers and BSkyB subscribers are notified with an on-screen message that refers them to a dedicated section of the BSkyB website. They have even released a Software Development Kit and GCC Compiler Suite for developers.

The open source software is called The XFree86 Project which is a global volunteer organization that produces XFree86, a freely redistributable open-source implementation of the X Window System continuously since 1992.

From the Sky website:

Open Source Software is software for which the underlying programming code is available to customers so that they may read it, make changes to it, and build new versions of the software incorporating their own changes if they wish to. For a more detailed definition or more information on Open Source Software visit http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html