Microsoft: "Using an open-source solution may introduce risks"

Remember how Microsoft used to warn against using Open Source? Turns out... they still are.

We’ve talked a little bit recently about Microsoft’s growing control of Linux and Open Source — and even delved into why it appears that Microsoft has begun the “Extinguish” phase of dealing with Open Source.

Today let’s take a look at Microsoft’s current, public-facing thoughts about Open Source in general.

We are all aware of Microsoft’s past thoughts about Open Source.

“Open source is an intellectual-property destroyer,” Jim Allchin (who was the Vice President of Microsoft’s Platform Group) once said. “I can't imagine something that could be worse than this for the software business and the intellectual-property business.”

And former Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer, famously declared Linux “a cancer”. (I was personally present when he went on a tirade about how much he hates Linux. It was such an intense rant that he covered my glasses with spit. Not kidding.)

But Microsoft loves Linux nowadays… right?

Well, here is a direct, current quote from Microsoft’s Azure documentation:

“Using an open-source solution may introduce risks, due to long-term maintenance and support challenges with any open-source software.”

As a member of The Lunduke Journal community correctly pointed out… Microsoft’s claim that “open-source” introduces “long-term maintenance challenges” is more than a little rich coming from Microsoft — a company with a long track record of abandoning software and killing support of software.

If Microsoft were to — at least — release the source code for their (oh-so-many) abandoned software projects… those pieces of software would stand a far better chance of being supported and maintained going forward (as others, including both individuals and companies) could invest in their continued maintenance if there was need or value (or simply desire) to do so.

Are there potential issues related to support or long-term maintenance with Open Source?

Yes. Undeniably. Anyone who has worked, for any length of time, in the Open Source world will confirm that without batting an eye.

But are there even more long-term maintenance issues related to Closed Source software (from habitual software abandoners like Microsoft)? Oh, lawdy-lawdy yes.

And Microsoft knows that.

Which begs the question: Why are they making statements that appear to be engineered to frighten people away from using anything that is “Open Source”?

It’s worth asking. I’m sending along emails to Microsoft representatives to ask exactly that. If I get a response, I’ll be sure to publish it here.

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