What you need to know
- Microsoft has taken the time to reiterate that it is aligned with open source technological values.
- To back up its words, it's offering Azure credits to developers working on open source projects.
- Microsoft has already been doling out the Azure awards to existing projects.
On the Microsoft Open Source Blog, a post was made announcing that open source project developers could apply to receive Azure credits for a year. That post started with a brief ode to open source, which will be pasted here:
Open source software is an integral part of development at Microsoft, aligned with our goal to empower all developers to be successful building any application, using any language, on any platform. We are committed to building open, flexible technology and working with the open source community to grow together as an industry.
To translate the buzzword soup consisting of "empower"s and "committed to"s and "aligned with"s: If you're an open source developer, know that Microsoft may very well think you're smart, you're loyal, and you're grateful. And it appreciates that.
That's why Microsoft has an Azure credit program for open source projects wherein they can get a year of credit if they apply and are approved. The terms can be found in Microsoft's post, but the key is that any project sporting an Open Source Initiative (OSI)-approved license has the green light to shoot its shot (via ZDNet). Plenty of open source projects have already gotten Azure credits out of this offer, so if you qualify, know that it could be your turn next.
Perhaps this deal isn't for you, though. In that case, read up on the diversity of places Azure has found itself in, including aboard the International Space Station and in the Mars chocolate factories pumping out Twix bars.
