Microsoft acquires GitHub

[icecream-guy]

Code Select Expand


Microsoft Corp. on Monday announced it has reached an agreement to acquire GitHub, the world's leading software development
platform where more than 28 million developers learn, share and collaborate to create the future. Together, the two companies will
empower developers to achieve more at every stage of the development lifecycle, accelerate enterprise use of GitHub, and bring
Microsoft's developer tools and services to new audiences.


Is this a good thing or bad thing?  I know back in the old days, MS used to be very closed off and proprietary, shuttering any innovation outside MS. Opening up in the past several years.  I don't know if their history precludes themselves, or not or if Microsoft attitude has really changed and they embrace openness and sharing of code. 

[dlots]

I imagine it's an indiffrent thing.  I imagine it will put something in the terms of service that it can use any code on there or something like that.  It's pretty much all opensource stuff there anyway.

[Otanx]

I know some people are concerned over a few points that all boil down to MS using their access to bypass permissions set on the repos to do things. Examples being thrown around include;

1. MS scanning closed repos for software that breaks EULA on MS products.
2. MS stealing code from closed repos and using it in their products, and not paying the original owner.

I see it like dlots. I am indifferent. If MS does abuse their ownership then people will just move. There are other services. People that have real concerns about the confidentiality of their repos shouldn't be using github anyway. Running gitlab on your own server isn't hard. I think Github itself is open source (not sure, and googling "github open source" isn't helpful) so someone can just start a new service if they want, and don't like the current options.

-Otanx

[dlots]

I think any lawsuits they file on people by looking at closed repos will cost them more $$$ than it will get them.

They just spent 7 Billion dollars on it, if they start suing their users they won't get $7 Billion out of people who need to use github, and people will run from github like cats from a vacume cleaner.

[Dieselboy]

https://www.itnews.com.au/news/github-rivals-see-code-influx-after-microsoft-buyout-492860

[deanwebb]

MSFT bought it to monetize it, just like they did with LinkedIn.

Look for them to start to integrate it with their general development platform and get it linked to Azure.

[ggnfs000]

I am almost certain that the quality is going to drop considerably to the point it is better to move somewhere.

[deanwebb]

I am almost certain that the quality is going to drop considerably to the point it is better to move somewhere.

A lot of people had that opinion and pretty much moved on out, seems like. I know that there's a strong "anything but Microsoft!" attitude among a number of developers, and they'll never touch anything that's been touched by Microsoft.

[Dieselboy]

I am almost certain that the quality is going to drop considerably to the point it is better to move somewhere.

A lot of people had that opinion and pretty much moved on out, seems like. I know that there's a strong "anything but Microsoft!" attitude among a number of developers, and they'll never touch anything that's been touched by Microsoft.

Bit weird isn't it? Why isolate one-self because of an opinion.

[icecream-guy]

I am almost certain that the quality is going to drop considerably to the point it is better to move somewhere.

A lot of people had that opinion and pretty much moved on out, seems like. I know that there's a strong "anything but Microsoft!" attitude among a number of developers, and they'll never touch anything that's been touched by Microsoft.

Bit weird isn't it? Why isolate one-self because of an opinion.

Because Micro$oft automatically updated your windows 10 PC, without your prior approval,(we''ll you did approve when you accept the license agreements) and that windows update resets all your settings, and even worse, introduces a big whereby your machine randomly get the blue screen of death, and you don't know how to fix it, and there are no release notes from Microsoft, and they only way you find out is by googling around looking for stuff, and then you find a thread that many people are having the same issue, but Micro$oft won't fix the problem until there is enough of an outcry from the population screaming for a fix, then they acknowledge there is a problem and release the fix.  (humm, does this sound like I'm bitter?.... and Yes I did get hit with that Meltdown/Spectre Win 10 bug with my older AMD processor)

[deanwebb]

^ Now imagine them doing that to your code repository. No thanks!

[Dieselboy]

Sorry, no disrespect but your complaint echoes one of many. Throughout my life with Windows from 3.11 and up it's definitely not been plain sailing at some times but Windows 10 is a vast improvement on previous versions. Windows 7 was a vast improvement on the ones before it but that's just my feeling.

Because Micro$oft automatically updated your windows 10 PC, without your prior approval,(we''ll you did approve when you accept the license agreements)

This is a positive, so you're always running the latest supposed security patches but in experience also comes with features of late. Like new apps (paint) and Ubuntu subsystem. 

and that windows update resets all your settings,

I havent ever seen this. Although my last windows 7 company laptop in the uk would apply updates over night which would then close all my browsers and things open from the previous day which did result in lost time and half written emails. This was happening to my home windows 10 laptop but no longer happens (may be they changed this forced setting lately? )

and even worse, introduces a big whereby your machine randomly get the blue screen of death,

Not had this at all of late. Older / cheaper hardware I did have this problem with once. It was a problem with the hardware.

and you don't know how to fix it,

I replaced faulty hardware and problem fixed 

and there are no release notes from Microsoft,

Here they are:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/itpro/windows-10/release-information
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/whats-new/whats-new-windows-10-version-1803

and they only way you find out is by googling around looking for stuff,

If this is a bad thing then I'm the devil.

and then you find a thread that many people are having the same issue, but Micro$oft won't fix the problem until there is enough of an outcry from the population screaming for a fix, then they acknowledge there is a problem and release the fix. 

Did Microsoft start a trend and now do all big companies do this? 

[deanwebb]

Fair responses, Dieselboy.

But what about the general phenomenon of a big company buying a smaller, clever little start-up, and then running that start-up into the ground? That's a very real fear and I think it may be the biggest motivator outside of "I don't trust Microsoft!"

[Dieselboy]

Fair responses, Dieselboy.

But what about the general phenomenon of a big company buying a smaller, clever little start-up, and then running that start-up into the ground? That's a very real fear and I think it may be the biggest motivator outside of "I don't trust Microsoft!"

That's what normally happens though, right . I agree it's a shame.