Legality of using Microsoft DLL'S in programs?

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hack123

G'Day all,
Im just curious as to how legal it is to use dll's that microsoft have
made? For example, lets say I make a program that creates users in
active directory, I have to reference system.directory services, is it
now legal for me to sell the program? What if I had to include the dll
with my program?
I know it might sound a bit silly but I couldn't find any info about it
(maybe Im looking in the wrong place..)
Anyone got any more info?

Cheers

Dave.
 
I think such DLLs are already part of the operating system or the .NET
Framework, and hence anybody who has .NET (which is free) will already have
them.
 
As a side note you don't have to include this DLL in your setup. It should
be installed as part of the .NET framework installation...
 
Ok, so what if I was writing a vb6 application for windows 98 and by
default windows 98 doesnt come with the particular dll, the dll is part
of a microsoft package that you download from the MS website and
install?
 
Basically :
- for "old" applications, with most packages MS provides a list of the files
that you are allowed to redistribute. You may have to include this DLL in
your package (and preferably using the "official" way). For example you may
have this for the various ActiveX controls that were provided with VB6.
- with .NET this is much less frequent as the framework is installed as a
whole once for all (opposed as letting each application installing the part
it needs)
- you may still have problem with older OS that won't support all .NET
classes but in this case it's likely a technical limitation and "installing"
the DLL likely won't change anything

To get back to System.DirectortyServices. This is part of the .NET
framework. If the .NET framework is installed it is available. You don't
have to install it. This is also the kind of thing that I believe won't work
on older OS (because they don't use Active Directory, the problem is not
that the DLL is missing, the problem is that the OS does not have the
"feature").

Let us know if you have a specific problem in mind...

Patrice
 
Ok, so what if I was writing a vb6 application for windows 98 and by
default windows 98 doesnt come with the particular dll, the dll is part
of a microsoft package that you download from the MS website and
install?
Click to expand...
When it is in a SDK it is mostly (I don't know where not) free to use.

When it is by instance in an update for Office, than it is not free to use.

I thought that this was very simple,

Cor
 
G'Day all and thanks so far,
You have all answered a few questions for me but Ill go in and be a bit
more specific here.
Lets say I wanted to use the dlls that come in the RDP package for
windows 98 and write my own rdp client program (more or less I just
want to kill out some of the options ect.. and distribute a compiled
exe that is ready to click and access a terminal server) that I want to
give to clients for connectivity to my server.
Now the rdp package has to be downloaded from MS's website and
installed, it doesnt come with windows 98, do my clients have to
download and install it before my program is legally allowed to
reference the dll's or can I just throw the required dll's in with an
installer package and distribute?
Cheers all :)
 
Can you show us the link for what you mean with that package. Or otherwise
because it is about property. Ask it direct to the owner Microsoft.

The newsgroups are not official communication instruments from Microsoft.
Therefore in fact you have nothing on any answer here

Cor
 
Try to see if you have a licence.txt or redist.txt file or better, get in
touch with your local Microsoft representative...

IMO the problem in this particular case is that you are using RDP to create
your own RDP program. I've seen similar things *not* allowed in the past.
For example you are not allowed to use the Access runtime to create a
general purpose database system...

Even then what would prevent your customers to launch the full package
instead of your tailored app ?

(note : you may find more focused group, this one is for .NET applications)

Patrice
 
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