ARN

Microsoft - Stop Open Source Assimilation

The development of .Net compatible Ruby outside of Microsoft is very important to continue, particularly a non-Microsoft open source project

Wayne Kelly, leader of the open source Ruby.Net development project, announced last week that he intends to discontinue development of Ruby.Net and join up with Microsoft's IronRuby open source efforts. This might sound good on the surface, but it is a bad idea.

Development of .Net compatible Ruby outside of Microsoft is very important to continue, particularly a non-Microsoft open source project. Microsoft has this funny habit of co-opting technologies and then evolving them into something very Microsoft-ish. Can you say Internet Explorer, or (sorry to do this to you) recall back to Microsoft's Java? Microsoft loves to diverge technologies into their own direction, leaving behind and alienating communities of users and developers.

Even though IronRuby is under Microsoft's own -Ms-PL open source license, IronRuby is too close to Microsoft and runs this same risk. I'm concerned that again we will have Ruby as most of the world knows it, and then Microsoft's version of Ruby, shunned by those who haven't drunk Redmond's Kool-aid.

Microsoft shouln't let Ruby.Net die on the vine. IronRuby's leader, John Lam, should encourage Wayne and others to develop Ruby.Net in the open, outside of the thinking of Microsoft. This will lead to further innovation beyond IronRuby which can be incorporated into IronRuby as it's proven out in the world of open source.

Rather than assimilating Ruby.Net into IronRuby, John and the IronRuby team should leverage Ruby.Net's passion and knowledge, including tasking out areas which would better happen in the broader non-Ms-PL open source community.

Now that Microsoft has an OSI approved open source license with the Ms-PL, I hope we don't see every current open source related project co-opted into a Microsoft directed effort. We need thinking, innovation and development outside of Microsoft's open source efforts.

Nominations for the 2012 ARN IT Industry Awards open on Tuesday, June 12.

More about: Leader, Leader Computers, Microsoft
References show all

Comments

Post new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
Users posting comments agree to the ARN comments policy.
Login or register to link comments to your user profile, or you may also post a comment without being logged in.
Related Whitepapers
Latest Stories
Community Comments
ARN Directory | Distributors relevant to this article
ASI Solutions , Bluechip Infotech , Compucon Computers , Dicker Data , Express Data , Express Online , ICT Distribution , Impact Systems Technology , Leader Computers , NewLease , Synnex Australia , Topstar Computer International , XiT Distribution , Xpress I.T.
rhs_login_lockGet exclusive access to ARN's news, research and invitation only events.
ARN Distributor Directory
Find distributors by name | vendor | location
Channel Deals
/deals/aca-pacific/442_rimage-trade-in-program-inkjet-to-everest-ther
ACA Pacific

Rimage Trade-In Program - Inkjet-to-Everest Thermal Printing. Ends June 15th, 2012.

More details »
ARN Vendor Directory
Find vendors by name | category

iAsset is a channel management ecosystem that automates all major aspects of the entire sales,marketing and service process, including data tracking, integrated learning, knowledge management and product lifecycle management.