Microsoft and open source: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 03:52, 26 March 2024

Revision as of 05:42, 22 May 2024

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[[Microsoft]], a technology company historically known for its opposition to the [[open source software]] paradigm, turned to embrace the approach in the 2010s. From the 1970s through 2000s under CEOs [[Bill Gates]] and [[Steve Ballmer]], Microsoft viewed the community creation and sharing of communal code, later to be known as free and open source software, as a threat to its business, and both executives spoke negatively against it. In the 2010s, as the industry turned towards [[cloud computing|cloud]], [[embedded computing|embedded]], and [[mobile computing]]—technologies powered by open source advances—CEO [[Satya Nadella]] led Microsoft towards open source adoption although Microsoft's traditional Windows business continued to grow throughout this period generating revenues of 26.8 billion in the third quarter of 2018, while Microsoft's [[Microsoft Azure|Azure]] cloud revenues nearly doubled.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/04/even-windows-revenue-is-up-in-microsofts-26-8-billion-3q18/|title=Even Windows revenue is up in Microsoft's $26.8 billion 3Q18|last=Bright|first=Peter|date=2018-04-26|website=Ars Technica|language=en-us|access-date=2019-12-18}}</ref>

Microsoft open sourced some of its code, including the [[.NET Framework]], and made investments in Linux development, server technology, and organizations, including the [[Linux Foundation]] and [[Open Source Initiative]]. [[Linux]]-based operating systems power the company's [[Microsoft Azure|Azure cloud services]]. Microsoft acquired [[GitHub]], the largest host for open source project infrastructure, in 2018. Microsoft is among the site's most active contributors. While this acquisition led a few projects to migrate away from GitHub.,<ref>{{Cite web |title=GitHub rivals gain from Microsoft acquisition but it's no mass exodus, yet |work=[[ZDNet]] |date=2019-05-06 |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/github-rivals-gain-from-microsoft-acquisition-but-its-no-mass-exodus-yet/ }}</ref>, this proved a short-lived phenomenon as by 2019 there were over 10 million new users of [[GitHub]].{{cncitation needed|date=March 2020}}

Since 2017, Microsoft is one of the biggest open source contributors in the world,<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Asay |first1=Matt |title=Why Microsoft and Google are now leading the open source revolution |work=[[TechRepublic]] |date=2017-10-30 |url=https://www.techrepublic.com/article/why-microsoft-and-google-are-now-leading-the-open-source-revolution/ |language=en |access-date=2019-04-21 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> measured by the number of employees actively contributing to open source projects on GitHub, the largest host of source code in the world.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.techrepublic.com/article/microsoft-may-be-the-worlds-largest-open-source-contributor-but-developers-dont-yet-care/|title=Microsoft may be the world's largest open source contributor, but developers don't care--yet|website=TechRepublic|date=November 4, 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.infoworld.com/article/3253948/who-really-contributes-to-open-source.html|title=Who really contributes to open source|first=Matt|last=Asay|date=February 7, 2018|website=InfoWorld}}</ref>

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In August 2004, Microsoft made the complete source code of the [[Windows Template Library]] (WTL) available under the [[Common Public License]] and released it through SourceForge. Since version 9.1, the library is licensed under the [[Microsoft Public License]].<ref>[https://sourceforge.net/projects/wtl/files/ Download pages for WTL version 7.5, 8.0, 9.0, 9.1 and 10]</ref>

In September 2004, [[Microsoft]] released its [[FlexWiki]], making its source code available on SourceForge.<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Windows/FlexWiki-Microsofts-Third-Open-Software-Project/ |title=FlexWiki: Microsofts Third Open Software Project |work=[[eWeek]] |date=September 28, 2004 |access-date=April 5, 2012 }}</ref> The engine is open source, also licensed under the Common Public License. FlexWiki was the third Microsoft project to be distributed via SourceForge, after WiX and Windows Template Library.

In 2005, Microsoft released the [[F Sharp (programming language)|F#]] [[programming language]] under the [[Apache License 2.0]].<ref name="boxofcables.dev" />

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Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer acknowledged that more customers are running mixed systems and said about the partnership with Novell:

{{quoteblockquote|While we're going to compete, we're going to collaborate in the right way.|[[Steve Ballmer]], CEO of Microsoft<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/2006/11/02/technology/microsoft/|title=Linux to work with Windows|date=2006-11-02|first=Grace|last=Wong|website=CNN Money|access-date=2021-04-14}}</ref>}}

In June 2007, [[Tom Hanrahan]], former ''Director of Engineering'' at the [[Linux Foundation]], became Microsoft's ''Director of Linux Interoperability''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-appoints-linux-interoperability-chief/|title=Microsoft appoints Linux interoperability chief|first=Richard|last=Thurston|date=June 11, 2007|website=ZDNet}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.infoworld.com/article/2644663/microsoft-names-linux-interop-director.html|title=Microsoft names Linux interop director|first=Paul|last=Krill|date=June 8, 2007|website=InfoWorld}}</ref>

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In 2014, the company opened the source of its [[.NET Framework]] to promote its software ecosystem and stimulate cross-platform development. Microsoft also started contributing to the [[OpenJDK]] the same year.<ref name="boxofcables.dev" /> The ''Wireless Display Adapter'', released in 2014, was Microsoft's first hardware device to use [[embedded Linux]].<ref name="boxofcables.dev" />

In the beginning of 2015, Microsoft open sourced the [[Z3 Theorem Prover]], a cross-platform [[satisfiability modulo theories]] (SMT) solver.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sdtimes.com/android/microsofts-visual-studio-timeline-and-z3-theorem-prover-google-cloud-launcher-facebooks-fresco-sd-times-news-digest-march-27-2015/|title=Microsoft's Visual Studio timeline and Z3 Theorem Prover, Google Cloud Launcher, Facebook's Fresco—SD Times news digest: March 27, 2015|date=March 27, 2015}}</ref>

Also in 2015, Microsoft co-founded the [[Node.js Foundation]]<ref>[https://www.onmsft.com/news/microsoft-moves-others-help-create-nodejs-foundation Microsoft moves, with others, to help create the Node.js Foundation]</ref> and joined the [[R Foundation]]. After completing the acquisition of [[Revolution Analytics]] in 2015,<ref name="Machine Learning Blog">{{cite web|last1= Sirosh|first1= Joseph|title= Microsoft Closes Acquisition of Revolution Analytics|url= http://blogs.technet.com/b/machinelearning/archive/2015/04/06/microsoft-closes-acquisition-of-revolution-analytics.aspx|website= blogs.technet.com|publisher= Microsoft|access-date=2018-09-20}}</ref> Microsoft integrated the open source [[R (programming language)|R programming language]] into [[SQL Server 2016]], [[SQL Server 2017]], [[SQL Server 2019]], [[Microsoft Power BI|Power BI]], [[Azure SQL Managed Instance]], [[Azure Cortana Intelligence]], [[Microsoft ML Server]] and [[Visual Studio 2017]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/visualstudio/2016/03/22/introducing-r-tools-for-visual-studio-3/|title=Introducing R Tools for Visual Studio|access-date=2018-09-20|language=en-US}}</ref>

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Microsoft opened the keynote speech at [[All Things Open]] in 2015 by stating that:

{{quoteblockquote|Microsoft's approach to open today is: Enable, integrate, release, and contribute.|[[Mark Russinovich]], CTO of [[Microsoft Azure]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/mark-russinovich-the-microsoft-azure-cloud-and-open-source/|title=Microsoft's Mark Russinovich to Linux faithful: Send us your resumes|first=Steven J.|last=Vaughan-Nichols|website=ZDNet}}</ref>}}

In August 2015, Microsoft released [[WinObjC]], also known as Windows Bridge for iOS, an open-source [[middleware]] toolkit that allows [[iOS]] apps developed in [[Objective-C]] to be ported to Windows 10.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/2960526/software-development/microsoft-releases-ios-to-windows-app-maker-windows-bridge-to-open-source.html|title=Microsoft releases iOS-to-Windows app maker Windows Bridge to open source|last=Hachman|first=Mark|website=[[PC World]]|publisher=IDG|date=August 6, 2015|access-date=October 9, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.anandtech.com/show/9205/microsoft-demonstrates-android-and-ios-applications-running-on-windows-10|title=Microsoft Demonstrates Android and iOS Applications Running On Windows 10|last=Chester|first=Brandon|website=[[Anandtech]]|publisher=Purch Inc.|date=April 29, 2015|access-date=October 9, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2015/05/01/everything-you-need-to-know-about-porting-android-and-ios-apps-to-windows-10/|title=Everything you need to know about porting Android and iOS apps to Windows 10|last=Protalinski|first=Emil|website=[[VentureBeat]]|date=May 1, 2015|access-date=October 9, 2015}}</ref> On November 18, 2015, [[Visual Studio Code]] was released under the proprietary Microsoft License and a subset of its source code was posted to [[GitHub]] under the [[Expat License|MIT License]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Visual Studio now supports debugging Linux apps; Code editor now open source|url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/11/visual-studio-now-supports-debugging-linux-apps-code-editor-now-open-source/|access-date=18 November 2015|work=Ars Technica}}</ref>

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Commentators have noted the adoption of open source and the change of strategy at Microsoft:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/linux-and-open-source-have-won-get-over-it/|title=Linux and open source have won, get over it|first=Steven J.|last=Vaughan-Nichols|website=ZDNet}}</ref>

{{quoteblockquote|The company has become an enthusiastic supporter of Linux and of open source and a very active member of many important projects.|Jim Zemlin, Executive Director of [[The Linux Foundation]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/3144063/open-source-has-won-and-microsoft-has-surrendered.html|title=Open source has won, and Microsoft has surrendered|first=Steven J.|last=Vaughan-Nichols|date=November 28, 2016|website=Computerworld}}</ref>}}

At [[EclipseCon]] in March 2016, Microsoft announced that the company is joining the [[Eclipse Foundation]] as a ''Solutions Member''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-joins-eclipse-foundation-and-brings-more-tools-to-community/|title=Microsoft joins Eclipse Foundation and brings more tools to community|last=Hill|first=Paul|date=8 March 2013|website=[[Neowin]]|access-date=3 August 2021}}</ref>

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The [[BitFunnel]] [[search engine indexing]] algorithm and various components of the [[Microsoft Bing]] search engine were made open source by Microsoft in 2016.<ref name="InfoWorld">{{Cite web|url=https://www.infoworld.com/article/3116080/microsoft-open-sources-bing-components-for-fast-code-compilation.html|title=Microsoft open-sources Bing components for fast code compilation|first=Serdar|last=Yegulalp|date=September 6, 2016|website=InfoWorld}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Verma|first=Arpit|date=2016-09-07|title=Microsoft Open Sources Major Components Of Bing Search Engine, Here's Why It Matters|url=https://fossbytes.com/microsoft-working-open-source-search-components-used-power-bing/|access-date=2020-06-12|website=Fossbytes|language=en-US}}</ref> [[vcpkg]], a cross-platform open source [[package manager]], was released in September 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sdtimes.com/android/yelp-launches-yelp-fusion-microsoft-creates-vcpkg-tool-new-touch-sense-sdk-android-developers-sd-times-news-digest-sept-20-2016/|title=Yelp launches Yelp Fusion, Microsoft creates Vcpkg tool, and the new Touch Sense SDK for Android developers|date=September 20, 2016|website=SD Times}}</ref>

Microsoft joined the [[Open Source Initiative]], the [[Cloud Native Computing Foundation]], and the [[MariaDB Foundation]] in 2017.<ref name="boxofcables.dev" /> The Open Source Initiative, formerly a target of Microsoft, used the occasion of Microsoft's sponsorship as a milestone for open source software's widespread acceptance.

The [[Debian]]-based [[SONiC (operating system)|SONiC]] [[network operating system]] was open sourced by Microsoft in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|first=Michael|last=Cooney|url=https://www.networkworld.com/article/3584918/meet-sonic-the-new-nos-definitely-not-the-same-as-the-old-nos.html|title=Meet SONiC, the new NOS (definitely not the same as the old NOS)|date=October 8, 2020|website=NETWORKWORLD}}</ref>

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In 2018, the Microsoft CTO of Data spoke with ZDNet about the growing importance of open source stating that:

{{quoteblockquote|We meet customers where they are, and in particular if you want Linux we'll give you Linux; if you want MySQL, well we'll give you MySQL; you want NoSQL well we'll give you NoSQL -- that means you need to be part of open source; open source by nature is a community thing.|[[Raghu Ramakrishnan]], Microsoft CTO of Data<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/why-open-source-is-so-important-to-microsoft/|title=Why open source is so important to Microsoft|first=Asha|last=Barbaschow|date=February 28, 2018|website=ZDNet|access-date=July 17, 2021}}</ref>}}

Microsoft became ''Platinum Sponsor'' and delivered the keynote of the 2018 [[Southern California Linux Expo]] – the largest community-run open-source and free software conference in North America.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.socallinuxexpo.org/scale/16x|title=SCALE 16x &#124; 16x|website=www.socallinuxexpo.org}}</ref>{{sfn|Radits|2019|p=34}}

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* [[Babylon.js]] – A [[Real-time computing|real time]] 3D engine using a [[JavaScript]] library for displaying [[3D computer graphics|3D graphics]] in a web browser via [[HTML5]]

* [[BitFunnel]] – A signature-based [[search engine]]

* [[Blazor]] – [[Web framework]] that enables developers to create [[Webweb app|web apps]]s using [[C Sharp (programming language)|C#]] and [[HTML]]

* [[Bosque (programming language)|Bosque]] – [[Functional programming]] language<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Krill |first1=Paul |title=Microsoft aims for simplicity with Bosque programming language |work=[[InfoWorld]] |date=2019-04-18 |url=https://www.infoworld.com/article/3390197/microsoft-aims-for-simplicity-with-bosque-programming-language.html |language=en |access-date=2019-04-22 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

* [[C++/WinRT]] – [[C++]] library for Microsoft's [[Windows Runtime]] platform, designed to provide access to modern [[Windows API]]s

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* [[npm (software)|npm]] – [[Package manager]] for the [[JavaScript]] programming language

* [[OneFuzz]] – Cross-platform [[fuzzer|fuzz testing framework]]

* [[Open Live Writer]] – Desktop [[Blog|bloggingblog]]ging application

* [[Open Management Infrastructure]] – [[Common Information Model (computing)|CIM]] management server

* [[Open XML SDK]] – set of [[managed code]] libraries to create and manipulate [[Office Open XML]] files programmatically