The day has come that some developers have been dreading. Microsoft has finalized its acquisition of open-source code depository GitHub, having secured regulatory approval from the U.S. and the EU.
It was always going to happen, since Microsoft signaled its plans in June 2018. However, the many developers who have threatened to jump ship for another platform should Microsoft take over may now have to put their money where their mouth is.
Others are more optimistic, believing Microsoft will handle GitHub properly. Microsoft’s plans for the platform are to keep it platform and language-independent. In short, pretty much like they did with LinkedIn, where they let the entity run semi-independently.
GitHub CEO Chris Wanstrath has agreed to become a Microsoft Technical Fellow as part of the arrangement. In his place, Microsoft’s CEO of Xamarin, Nat Friedman, will take GitHub’s helm.
“It Won’t Turn Into Microsoft”; New CEO
Friedman said, in a Reddit Ask Me Anything (AMA), that “”We are not buying GitHub to turn it into Microsoft; we are buying GitHub because we believe in the importance of developers, and in GitHub’s unique role in the developer community.”
“Our goal is to help GitHub be better at being GitHub, and if anything, to help Microsoft be a little more like GitHub.”
He went on to say that they would be doubling down on their paper cuts project and focusing on the daily experience of users.
“We will improve core scenarios like search, notifications, issues/projects, and our mobile experience. And of course we are excited to make GitHub Actions broadly available.”
