Posted 05/21/09 at 03:30:00 PM by David Murphy

If you're a fan of open source, you're a fan of licensing. Okay, maybe not a fan. But you still have to respect the legal power of the documents attached to open-source software and projects, which describe for you the exact ways you can and cannot use, modify, and pass-along the licensed material. While a newcomer to the open source might see these licenses as restrictive entities prohibiting commercial exploitation of a body of work, they're the lifeblood of those who spend untold hours poring over the bits and bytes of a dream. Not as a means of financial extortion for companies that want to use the software, rather, these licensing documents ensure that the spirit of open source carries on regardless of a project's potential iterations.

I sometimes wish I could apply a license to everything I do on the Internet. And perhaps you will too, once you realize that you're a content creator -- just like me, anyone who writes for this site, and any of the estimated 17 million (and counting) microbloggers on the popular Twitter service. As of yesterday, Twitter has joined forces with Threadless. The t-shirt retailer and community hub is now the centerpiece in a massive effort to transform your witty public Tweets into cash-generating, hipster t-shirts. But this partnership respects the spirit of licensing, even though the actual legal rights you hold as a Twitter user are still open for debate.

 Fire up your best 140-word comment and click the jump to learn about this fashionable new deal!

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Posted 03/07/09 at 04:27:24 PM by Justin Kerr

When we first broke this story, though it came from a credible source, it was a bit hard to believe. Microsoft is in the software business, so what is all this talk about softwear? Turns out it’s all true and the official Microsoft website for the product line has now launched. The project is being managed in collaboration with thinkcommon.com, and the designs certainly are… interesting.

The majority of the shirts are tributes to the olden days of MS-DOS, but my personal favorite is “The Misdemeanor”. This classy tee (shown above) sports Bill Gate’s mug shot, and is sure to make you a hit at parties (not guaranteed by me or Microsoft). The shirts supposedly retail for a very reasonable $10, and the website can help you find a store near you.  

So is this brilliant marketing or painful to look at?

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Posted 12/08/08 at 12:01:17 PM by Mark Edward Soper

Advertising Age (via Cnet) reports that Microsoft and rapper Common are teaming up with ad agency Crispin Porter & Bogusky to put classic Microsoft imagery from the '80s and modern remixes on T-shirts. Yes, the line will be called "Softwear by Microsoft."

The first two designs unveiled bring back memories of MS-DOS (if you've forgotten all the DOS you ever learned, be sure to see our 50 Skills Every Real Geek Should Have article for a refresher) and the days when MicroSoft was two words. You can see more designs, including Common's remixes, at the Softwear by Microsoft website.

So, how about it, Redmond fanboys (and fangirls)? Are you going to embrace your roots, or do these designs make you hit your reset button? Join us after the jump for your chance to sound off.

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Posted 07/29/08 at 04:45:20 PM by Norman Chan

Reminder: The T-shirt design contest ends this Friday morning. Submit your entries as soon as possible!

Here is your chance to make a mark on Maximum PC!  We need new t-shirts, and, quite frankly between the magazine re-design, the website revamp and actually making the magazine every month, we’re just tapped out.  That’s where you come in. We're taking submissions for a new t-shirt design, and want you to try your hand at creating one. The design should include the Maximum PC logo, have a maximum of 4 colors, and be created as a vector graphic. Otherwise, we encourage you to be creative and geeky to capture the look and feel of the magazine.

Send us your design for the new Maximum PC t-shirt and you could win a $250 gift card and a few tees to show off your winning art! 

Visit the full contest page for the official rules!

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