02.22.21
Microsoft Inside — Part III: Microsoft Finds Out That Free Software Developers Don’t Want to Work for Microsoft on Microsoft Platforms
Summary: The attempts to poach high-profile Free software and GNU/Linux developers aren’t succeeding, especially once it turns out who’s really behind those attempts (they don’t give it away upfront)
IN the first part, which was introductory, we explained the problem at hand. The second part contained more of the ‘meat’ of the issue, demonstrated using something which had happened a week or two before Raspberry Pi devices had Microsoft covertly inserted into them (keys and repository for proprietary software and telemetry). What is going on?
Well, some readers have kindly contacted us, shedding light on observations and communications they became privy to.
“The person persisted and persisted, unable to understand what’s wrong with GitHub…”One contact, who approached a GNU/Linux developer (probably quite a lot of them in that process), was mentioned in Part II. The contact said “Thank you for this info!!” after learning that Canonical makes Ubuntu. Why would people connected to Microsoft, who try to hire GNU/Linux developers, not know this?
“I’ll get back to you with an answer to your question,” said the contact, “am asking right now” (asking Microsoft associates, albeit without identifying them as such).
“Hi again,” the contact later said. “Below is the answer to proprietary software or open source…”
“The tools/software needed are currently available on GitHub and we expect that to continue to be the case,” the contact said. Why would that be managed in proprietary software frameworks of Microsoft?
The developer responded: “Yeah so GitHub is a Microsoft thing and your really good Linux people are not going to use it… But I’ll ask around…”
The contact responded: “Great to know! I’ll pass that info along for sure!! Thx for sharing this opportunity around your network. I’m open to feedback wrt any details about this role.”
“LinkedIn links were all over the place, suggestive of a connection to its owners.”The person persisted and persisted, unable to understand what's wrong with GitHub: “Can you give me insight wrt why strong Linux ppl won’t like the idea of using GitHub? Hiring team wants more feedback… I don’t want to assume I know why …”
The developer finally responded (after much insistent chasing by the contact): “We don’t want to use GitHub… Some Microsoft platform. Oddly enough some will use LinkedIn, another Microsoft platform haha.”
LinkedIn links were all over the place, suggestive of a connection to its owners.
“There’s a difference in our community between free software and open source,” the developer continued. “Your more experienced and more capable Gnu Linux developers are free software…”
“For those who’ve missed it, Ubuntu now spies on users through Microsoft.”“So basically if you are looking for someone like this unicorn you would most likely be looking in the free software realm which you would probably never find this person because they won’t even touch Ubuntu…”
For those who’ve missed it, Ubuntu now spies on users through Microsoft.
“I think your best bet would to be find a medium level intermediate,” the developer said. “Proprietary person who will work with Microsoft people and use GitHub…”
“So maybe one of those open source people is your best bet…”
The developer (continued):
It’s like this: why don’t you have your own git?
That’s what I would go back to them and say.
You’re using Ubuntu
So really elite people won’t use those things
The contact accepted this point: “I’m thinking you’re spot on. I will share this feedback.”
Later following up with: “Any idea where this mid-lvl person might exist that has the technical knowledge? I’m thinking they may not be deep enough in their knowledge base to run without SME input…”
“In the next part we’ll say more about who that contact is and on whose behalf this contact was working all along.”“It’s a really difficult situation,” the developer replies. “We want to work with companies…. Of course we want to have money and jobs but we also have our culture. I’ve seen companies make the mistake of hiring Microsoft developers to do work with Linux and that’s a big mistake so don’t do that :)”
The contact responded with: “Exactly my predicament;)”
In the next part we’ll say more about who that contact is and on whose behalf this contact was working all along. █
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