Microsoft buys Github. MSFT's track record on prior acquisitions?

[rproffitt]

When this news came across I only had to think of MSFT's prior acquisitions to think this may not end well.

As the song goes " Should I Stay or Should I Go"?

[Dani]

Microsoft bought Skype and, while I can't say that the software has really been improved in any substantial way since it was purchased, I don't think it was made worse or lost market share either. I guess we shall see what happens.

[rproffitt]

@Dani re Skype, when I was traveling we started on Skype but as Microsoft appeared to be monkeying around we found it more and more unreliable so we moved to Google Voice and now Whatsapp.

I get the feeling MSFT is trying very hard to get more on Skype by pre-setting Windows 10 to autolaunching Skype.

Rumor has it MSFT may sync developer profile pages on GitHub with user profile data on LinkedIn which could rile developers. Imagine you have your day job and a Linkedin account and some Github project that is unrelated to your day job. Your employer may find you out.

This also flies in the face of an old (debate this?) Unix Philosophy:

Make each program do one thing well. To do a new job, build afresh rather than complicate old programs by adding new "features".

So my view is Github needs to continue to do one thing well.

[pty]

Microsoft has a mixed record. LinkedIn was barely touched (and remains a cesspit of the highest order), Skype was mangled and is a shadow of its former self, as was Nokia. Others, like Yammer and aQuantive were just absorbed.

If Microsoft change too much too soon, GitHub users may leave for new pastures. However, if they stay hands off, it's not necessarily an awful move. Microsoft aren't the toxic open source hating company that Balmer ran, even if that memory is still fresh in our minds.

[Reverend Jim]

Skype is worse since m$ took it over. First of all, I amn unable to defer/block updates while at the cottage but more importantly, there is now no way to block unsolicited requests to "kissieface wants to be added as a contact". Fortunately instead of getting 5-6 of these requests per day I now only get 1-2 per week. Still, I should be able to block all contact requests.

[happygeek]

I must be the only person on DaniWeb that doesn't think LinkedIn is a steaming pile of poop. Not that I'm a huge fan, but I've had a profile their for the longest time, post links to my editorial and have had (and continue to have) offers of work that turn into paying clients. Beyond that, I've also made some interesting contacts that I wouldn't otherwsie have done (differrent to my Twitter or Facebook networks).

Skype, can't comment as I don't do videoconferencing or phone calls for that matter - I've been phonephobic for many years so it's email/sms/f2f or nothing. Yes, as a journalist this can make life more complicated than it should be :-)

As for Github, can't see much bad coming out of the MS acquisition if I'm honest - other than maybe the haters finding an alternative, just because they've gotta hate.

[pty]

If you're a developer and list your skills and past places of work there you simply become a magnet for recruiters and are inundated with requests. Some recruiters are ok, most aren't, and a large proportion of the offers I get are extremely low quality or not even remotely suitable.

Additionally, LinkedIn employs plenty of dark UI patterns which I really don't enjoy. "27 people have viewed your profile, click here to find out who! Not really"

[happygeek]

Oh, I get more than enough requests from recruiters. However, I apply my usual common sense filtering and 99.9% of them are just diverted into the etherial dev null trash. Ditto the the crap that's designed to get you to sign up to the totally pointless (as far as I can see) premium subscription plan.

The offers of work that turn into client contracts have all come from existing contacts or people requesting contact who are what they say (and a quick Google on them/their company usually confirms or otherwsie).