Microsoft Doubles Down on Open Source


Microsoft this week announced at its Connect conference in New York City an expansion of its developer tools with a focus on Linux, Android and open source.
Microsoft Doubles Down on Open Source The move is an effort to help close the gap between Microsoft's developer platforms and the open source world.
The programs involve free access for developers who are just getting started, a new subscription to Microsoft services, a marketplace for extensions, updates to .NET, and the renaming of Visual Studio Online.
"The role of developers has changed a lot in the last five to seven years," said John Montgomery, director of program management for Microsoft.
One key change -- bring your own device in enterprises -- requires developers to be able to target iOS and Android phones alongside Windows desktops, he told LinuxInsider. Also, a lot of Microsoft Azure cloud development is happening on Linux.
  

Adapting to Change

The Visual Studio lineup is adapting to this changing landscape. Microsoft is making it easier for developers to use a familiar, powerful tool set to build for these platforms while sharing as much code as possible, Montgomery said.
The free Visual Studio Dev Essentials program, for example, bundles many of the company's tools and services into one package. It gives developers access to Visual Studio Community, Visual Studio Code and Visual Studio Team Services. It also provides training services from a number of partners, including Pluralsight, Wintellect and Xamarin, he said.
Developers will get monthly and annual subscriptions to Visual Studio's Professional and Enterprise editions.
Five million people have downloaded Microsoft Visual Studio 2015 so far this year, according to Microsoft.

Mutual Gains

The newfound cross-platform cooperation is the result of forays by both sides of the developer chasm. Microsoft has become increasingly receptive to working with competing platform developers.
"Microsoft has done a lot in the last few years to both contribute to and to consume from the open source community," said Montgomery.
For example, the company last year announced that it would open source .NET Core and make it available across platforms. Now it's making available release candidates for Linux, Mac and Windows, he said.
"Microsoft is actually seriously learning to play well with others," said Mike Dixon, founder of Wellington Street Consulting.
It's a welcome change from the company's "me first" history, he told LinuxInsider. The change in posture also is evident by Microsoft's pushing some new apps to Apple and Android devices before developing them for Windows devices.

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