14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has recently announced the takeover of GitHub for $7.5 billion, a move that generated mixed reactions in the developer community.
While some thought that under Microsoft’s umbrella GitHub is poised to get even better, others decided to switch to alternative platforms concerned that the world’s largest code repository would undergo changes pushed under the company’s anti-open source software culture.
Microsoft, however, has tried to explain on several occasions that this criticized approach towards the open-source world is just a thing of the past, and this is exactly what the new GitHub CEO Nat Friedman emphasized in a Reddit AMA a few days ago.
Discussing the infamous “cancer” statement that former CEO Steve Ballmer made when talking about Linux, Friedman pointed out this is nothing more than history and should by no means lead to fears from the developer community after the GitHub deal
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“The infamous “cancer” comment was made well before my time at Microsoft, and it does not represent my views, Satya’s views, or the views of 60,000 Microsoft engineers who use open source software every day,” he said.
“I understand that you are skeptical. I've been here for two years, and in that time I've seen Microsoft rapidly transforming into an open source company. I would ask that you judge Microsoft by its recent actions, by the structural way we are setting up GitHub to run independently and to be an open platform, and by our actions in the future.”
Friedman continued by adding that Microsoft has no other choice than help GitHub evolve the right away because any failed attempt to do this could substantially affect the company’s relationship with devs.
“I think I will have a lot of power to ensure we do the right thing, because if Microsoft screws this up, we will lose the trust of developers for a generation. We're committed to doing this right,’ he said.
Friedman also emphasized that GitHub would continue to operate independently and Microsoft accounts won’t be required for the service. No ads will make their way to the platform, as the current approach of GitHub will remain the foundation of the service in the future as well.