Microsoft is playing a different game than YouTube/Google. Microsoft bought Github for 7.5 billion dollars. Github is a website wrapping a git-server; you kno

Microsoft is playing a different game than YouTube/Google. Microsoft bought Github for 7.5 billion dollars. Github is a website wrapping a git-server; you know Microsoft could have built their own for a lot less money. The didn't buy the technology, they bought a network, its data and a brand. They are trying to improve their reputation with the open source community. It's really hard to measure such a thing, but this RIAA take down reduced developer trust. If Microsoft chose to fight a legal battle, win or lose they would win on their branding front. They would signal that they are defending open source.