Microsoft scratches itch, ends up with open-source blogging platform

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In one of the clearest testaments to date that Microsoft is increasingly open to open source, a group within Microsoft has released Oxite, a "standards-compliant and highly extensible content management platform," designed as a developer-grade blogging platform, as reported in PC World.

The project sounds interesting, but I'm particularly intrigued by its origin, which came about in true open-source fashion:

They built it not because there is a need for another blog engine, but because they were building the MIX Online site for Web designers and wanted to offer an example of a use for ASP.NET MVC, according to the Oxite Web site.

That's exactly how it's supposed to happen. The fact that software is now born in Redmond in this open-source manner, however, is something to cheer.