Active-X is Open Source!

Here's a brief history of Active-X

On July 26, 1996
Microsoft announced its Decision to Transition ActiveX Technologies To an Independent Standards Body.
See this press release which is available from February 20, 2007 of the WayBack Machine web archive
Wayback Machine (archive.org)
Here is the original URL (No longer active, but you can use it to search the WayBack Machine)
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/1996/jul96/indstndpr.mspx

On September 16, 1996
Microsoft Announces Industry Meeting To Map Out Transition of ActiveX Technologies
Invites Customers, Independent Software Vendors and Platform Vendors to Determine Format of Future Independent Standards Body for ActiveX; Meeting Set for Oct. 1 in New York City
Here is the original URL (No longer active, but you can use it to search the WayBack Machine)
http://channels.microsoft.com/presspass/press/1996/sept96/wkgppr.mspx

On October 3, 1996
ActiveX Stakeholders Choose The Open Group To Drive Direction of ActiveX in the Future
Decision Is Result of Vote in First Meeting of ActiveX Stakeholders in New York Oct.1
Here is the original URL (No longer active, but you can use it to search the WayBack Machine)
http://channels.microsoft.com/presspass/press/1996/Oct96/stkhldpr.mspx

On October 17, 1996
Microsoft Delivers ActiveX on the Macintosh
Beta Release of ActiveX SDK for Macintosh Enhances Cross-Platform Support for ActiveX
Here is the original URL (No longer active, but you can use it to search the WayBack Machine)
http://channels.microsoft.com/presspass/press/1996/Oct96/macpr.mspx

The Open Source Active-X standard was document AX01 and was stored as the Open Group's COM/DCOM Reference Guide
Here is the original URL (No longer active, but you can use it to search the WayBack Machine)
http://www.opengroup.org/pubs/catalog/ax01.htm
The WayBack machine archived the page that hosted the standard, but the standard itself does not seem to have been archived.