Storm Warning

Hugo’s developers collaborate on Github. Developers of other static site generators also use Github. The theme writers use Github as well. If it seems to you that Github is a special place for software development, then you are correct. All was well until last year (2020) when Microsoft purchased Github.

It is a common business practice that one way to eliminate a competitor is to make them a generous purchase offer that they are not likely to refuse. Microsoft is in business selling its software and services for money. Free software is becoming a serious threat to their business. Most free software is developed on Github. The purchase makes good sense, at least for Microsoft.

Microsoft also offers Azure, a cloud service that directly competes with Amazon Web Services. Interestingly, Azure offers free hosting for static websites just like Amazon with one caveat. You must have an account (free) in order to use the service. Note that Github itself offers its members a cloud testing platform called Netlify. Also note that IBM is offering yet another cloud service. Their service even uses the same aws command to control content. I suspect its a clone.

So far there has only been one conflict. A Github developer released an app called youtubedl , that downloads YouTube videos. A Microsoft executive ordered its markdown, stating that use of the app performs an illegal activity. Github complied, but argued that the activity was not at all illegal. It did violate YouTube`s terms of service but that was irrelevant. Google, not Microsoft, owns YouTube. In a few days the app quietly reappeared.

This incident, while not a storm, does indicate that Microsoft will assert their authority as is necessary for their control. The storm is yet to come but come it will.