Mayhem

Microsoft issued in the spring of 2012 the source code of the software tool under the name Mayhem which allows the user to create without special skills scenarios for automation of work of graphic applications in Windows. The software was transferred to fund of the open source software Outercurve Foundation which was created and is sponsored by corporation.

The software of Mayhem was developed by the Microsoft Research research group counting on the users of Windows who are not owning skills of programming. The tool allows the people who did not get used to work with BAT files, to design "scenarios" from graphic applications of Windows by analogy to scenarios of the command line.

Using Mayhem the user can automate routine tasks in a system, without resorting to studying of a command language. The principle of work of Mayhem is similar to the description of the sequence of actions in a BAT file (or Shell file of Unix). The user creates in Mayhem triggers for the necessary programs and ties them to certain events in a system. At approach of an event of the program are started and react to it in one way or another.

Events can be as local (the key press, a voice command, etc.), and to be transferred on network — from the mobile phone or on the Internet. For example, Mayhem can automatically start a graphic e-mail client and send the e-mail to the administrator if the notification about overheating comes from data center.

Developers claim that Mayhem is capable to connect among themselves practically any devices and Windows services and also some external devices. To the program there are expansions allowing Mayhem to work with smartphones (on Windows Phone, Android and iOS) and also with Xbox.

According to Paul Ditts (Paul Ditz), the Mayhem project manager, the program is a new step to evolutions of personal computers. "The PC gradually abandons the role of the tool which people use, and turns into the servant to whom they order to make something for them", - the Microsoft developer is convinced.

Ditts reported that accepted the solution to open the source code of the program of Microsoft to involve third-party developers in expansion of opportunities Mayhem. Besides, the company considers that it will help to make a product more attractive to those who want to build in its functionality software.

The project was approved in the hands by the Outercurve fund earlier known as CodePlex Foundation. The fund was created by Microsoft in 2009 and positions itself as the intermediary between corporation and Open Source-community. The fund directs development of the various Open Source-проектов sostdotochenny around technologies of Microsoft, such as .NET, ASP.net, SharePoint, Silverlight, WPF, XNA.

Mayhem got in a row projects under the name Innovators Gallery which integrates in itself(himself) the most advanced developments which are conducted under Outercurve wing. The source code of the program was published under the license Microsoft Piblic Licence (MS-PL).

To stimulate participation of community in the project, Outercurve announced competition on the best addition of Make Your Own Mayhem Contest 2012. The fund urged developers to post the original expansions for the program on the project website. Tender will last till midnight (on the Pacific time) on April 30, 2012. Winners in four nominations will separate among themselves prize fund in 5000 dollars.