3 ms·

good god Cue the whinging in 2 years when people discover free means someone is paying, just not you, whereas you will be paying with something, just not cash.

• electic 11y ago
  I doubt that will happen here. By doing this, Microsoft is really pushing their tools and hence pushing developers to start thinking about Windows as a platform to develop for first. Not just, Apple and Android.
  • x0x0 11y ago
    Yes, microsoft has a (frankly delusional) goal here. And if they don't meet that goal, or corporate priorities change, or the executive cheerleader for this idea moves onward and upward, free offers may materially change. As counterexamples, consider sourceforge, or any of the entrants in our incredible journey http://ourincrediblejourney.tumblr.com http://ourincrediblejourney.tumblr.com
    • djtriptych 11y ago
      Excellent points - you changed my thinking =)
• btown 11y ago
  We are indeed paying - with our upvotes and social media shares. There are few things more valuable to Microsoft than ensuring that they capture the mindshare of the modern developer, since that developer is increasingly able to advocate for whatever software/hardware/cloud they want their business to be run on. And when the cost of that is a few extra hard drives otherwise underutilized in their massive multi-billion-dollar Azure datacenters, it's a no-brainer. There's no need for them to have a hidden motive beyond this.