Microsoft is GitHub new owner, Should Developers Worry or Welcome it?

GitHub, the immensely huge and important code repository with around 85 million repositories hosted is now owned by the Microsoft. Microsoft sealed the deal at $7.5 billion.

The executive director of the Linux Foundation, Mr Jim Zemlin has welcomed this gesture and asked for the celebration of Microsoft’s smart move which is a good news for Open Source. Xamarin founder Nat Friedman will be the new CEO of GitHub reposting to Microsoft’s Cloud and AI chief Scott Guthrie.

Microsoft buys GitHub. Here is my take. TLDR: Don’t worry be happy. https://t.co/HgtsBAsyKt

— jzemlin (@jzemlin) June 7, 2018

Developers fear how would Microsoft modify the existing model of  GitHub as upon acquiring Skype, Microsoft routed all peer to peer traffic through itself thereby enabling them to easily snoop the conversations.

Another cause of worry for developers is the extra advantage Microsoft will have over the competitors by using API for those applications that will be inaccessible by the competing products.

There is also a community among developers who are optimistic about the acquisition and would like to wait and watch how will Microsoft manage the GitHub especially in terms of monetization. Nat Friedman has completely denied any desire to monetise the site through advertisement.

You can reach him on his twitter handle below and query anything about what’s next n new in GitHub.

I’m hosting an AMA on Reddit about Microsoft’s planned acquisition of GitHub now. Please join! https://t.co/1qmuYeS8KB

— Nat Friedman (@natfriedman) June 7, 2018

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