Codeplex.org: A confusing name for a confusing mission
A few links for your perusal:
Will Microsoft always been seen as open source Astroturf?
Microsoft to Support Open Source Foundation
If Microsoft really wants to be friends with Linux…
What The CodePlex Foundation Means To The .NET OSS Developer
Microsoft creates the CodePlex foundation
New Microsoft-backed open source foundation faces questions
Some quick thoughts about the new Codeplex OSS initiative
Analysis: CodePlex Foundation – The Terms of Mutual Surrender
My first instinct is to see that Microsoft is creating an open source community (I’ll use the lower-case open source because DotNetNuke does not use an approved OSI license, but it does provide one in the spirit of Open Source) parallel to the established Open Source community. I see a lot of people saying that Microsoft has “embraced openness”. Microsoft has *not* embraced openness. Microsoft DEVELOPER DIVISION has embraced openness. Microsoft still doesn’t ship Open Source on it’s Windows DVDs. Microsoft is still shipping out training manuals to vendors that contain anti-Linux/OS X FUD.
The foundation launched with a very Microsoft-heavy interim board. It doesn’t look good. It looks like business as usual for Microsoft. This coupled with the fact that there are no elected members and outgoing members choose their replacements (I misread this section of the bylaws, the current Board of Directors chooses the outgoing directors successor. No means are stipulated as how this will occur though.) could mean that the board consists of people that may lean more towards Microsoft’s message and only push .NET or Microsoft open source software.
However, they have assembled an all-star advisory board many of whom I know have the communities best interests at heart.
Overall, I think the formation of the foundation is a net positive both for the community and for Microsoft. However, I think Microsofts past, and current, actions warrant a certain amount of skepticism.
What do you think?
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September 14th, 2009 - 20:45
I think it bears repeating, specifically, that the foundation launched with a very Microsoft-heavy *interim* board. Which is likely the only way that the one million dollars in funding for the foundation would have ever left the building.
September 14th, 2009 - 21:42
I think that’s an excellent point Scott, I’ll update my post.