In a surprising twist that left the tech world buzzing, Microsoft has executed a spectacular U-turn on its recent decision to banish open source software from its app store. The company’s decision came hot on the heels of a rather chaotic uproar from the developer community.
Picture this: the stage was set for the implementation of the new rules that would have given open source software the boot from the Microsoft Store. The clock was ticking, and the moment was nigh—until it wasn’t!
But lo and behold! Like a sudden gust of fresh air in a stuffy room, the winds of change swept through, and the banishment plan was scrapped for good. The community rejoiced, and developers did a happy dance around their keyboards!
Leading the charge, Microsoft Store General Manager, the mighty Giorgio Sardo, bravely took to Twitter to announce the company’s remarkable backtrack. In a tone dripping with humility, he shared, “Last month, we tried to keep our customers safe from those mischievous tricksters with misleading product listings. But we heard your cries, and boy, did we change our tune!”
With bated breath, we waited to hear the sweet sound of his next tweet, and there it was, like a knight in shining armor coming to the rescue. He declared, “To put it straight, we decided to erase any trace of open source pricing from our policy. We’re all for an open Store and giving devs the freedom to spread their wings and fly!”
Oh, but the drama didn’t end there, my dear reader! Our hero, Sardo, had previously let slip that Microsoft was stuck in a tricky situation. A tweet from July 8, 2022, revealed his musings, “On June 16, we thought we’d protect our customers with a policy that kicks in on July 16. But those clever devs gave us feedback, and gosh, we realized it could be misunderstood! Oopsie! We’re postponing it until we clear the fog!”
Amidst the laughter and tears of this rollercoaster ride, Microsoft held its ground on one thing: only Chromium and Gecko engines would get a warm welcome (plus the now-retired EdgeHTML). So, for all you engine outliers, like Apple’s WebKit, there’s no VIP pass into this party!
The intent behind these changes was to wrangle those pesky scammers who dared to repurpose open-source apps for a cheeky profit. But alas, in this quest for justice, some innocent developers got caught in the crossfire with potential financial repercussions!
Still, fear not! Sardo has donned his superhero cape yet again and called for justice to prevail. In a valiant act, he urges everyone with “intellectual property concerns about an app” to report directly to Microsoft HQ. They shall be the protectors of justice, like a tech-savvy version of the Avengers!
So, dear reader, as the sun sets on this epic tale of twists and turns, let us cherish the victory of open source software, celebrate the power of a community’s voice, and applaud Microsoft for showing us that even tech giants can do the cha-cha with change! Keep those app ideas flowing and your creativity soaring—the world of tech awaits your brilliance!
