Microsoft giving away developer software to students

[TheAnimus]

Anything that runs Java, Python, C/C++ and allows me to see the source code (implementation of everything, nothing to hide). I like Python the most, I've only had minimal experience in C/C++. (Got a few simple DirectX apps compiled and working before I went with OpenGL).

What about Ruby, Iron Python, F# and Boo? (perhaps Nermle). I'm not a python fan myself, i think its a bastian of bad practice + un-managable code, the better features of which can truely be leveraged in true functional languages.

But if it was a choice between .Net or Java. I would lean to Java. (Some reasons will be mention below). GPL vs Shared Source? I rather GPL. (same license as Linux, VLC, MySQL, Nmap, Perl, Wireshark, etc)

We comparing the language, or the runtime environment? Frankly i've yet to see one language reason to choose Java over C#... They blatently copied every idea that was good. As far as the language goes, the licensing of C# is much better, far more friendly, than that of Java.

Be weary on that, there are Non-ECMA standardized libraries in MS's .Net (Novell's Mono for other OSs are trying to implement some of them). But this does not change the fact that MS can introduce non-ECMA implementations into their .Net...Do you see what I mean? They may have things very legit on paper, but the implementation is a different story. They'll worm their way out of situations as long as they end up in real control of the implementation.

Erm every thing thats an ECMA standard can be implemetned by others. The ECMA standards often fall slightly behind the developement in been ratified, but they're in draft status. Lets not confuse the framework, with the CLR, or the Language C# now.

The framework from the start is not designed to be cross platform. There is no claim that winforms will run on anything non windowsie. The framework isn't a standard. When i write apps for work, i have total control over the deployment OS, so i will use a framework that fully leverages it (This imo is java's failing, you end up with a 'only featurse that i can do on every platform' problem. Which leads to horrible apps). If you want the feature poor cross platform libraries, there are solutions which funnily enough are non-microsoft. MS don't try to kill them with law suites, only by not having them supported in the VS tools. Theres no reason not know about all of them.

Anyway, its not just about legality and official standards bodies. Its also about how things are implemented and how the world community views Microsoft.

Microsoft, regardless of their generosity, wants to maintain some sort of control. (Because control leads to profits). .Net in its full entirety is really only available on one platform. Windows. Even then, its only available to specific versions.

When they make such wonderful gestures, there's always some sort of catch. People are becoming more weary of this.

For example: Oh look! They are releasing specs to their binary document formats! Awesome! Its gonna mean third-parties are able to implement MS Office compatible software!
Microsoft Office Binary (doc, xls, ppt) File Formats

But reality hits: How can one implement MS's binary document formats based on a "promise" without looking at the potential legal issues?

Same way Sun promised not even 2 years ago to GPL java? .Net had only been an ECMA standard for oh, about 6 years before that. Yes, MS are pure evil, compared to the sunshine lolly pops and rainbows of sun.

What's worse, the promise is very open to interpretation. In this case, they promise they won't sue you "for making, using, selling, offering for sale, importing or distributing any implementation" in relation to the specs they're handing out, but it doesn't cover other issues. (like software patents!).

A promise isn't a license. Its just easier not to bother with it and stay far away from it as possible.

If you really want to get a glimpse of how they think...
Groklaw - How to Get Your Platform Accepted as a Standard - Microsoft Style

NOTE: The term Slog is their term for guerrilla marketing.

(You should click the link to read its entirety.)

So when Microsoft does something supposedly wonderful for the world, I'm always weary of the long term consequences, effects it plays, and why they're doing it.

Anyway, in relation to the thread topic...
Analysis: Popularity of open-source, Adobe tools on campus prods Microsoft's giveaway to students

And obviously they are the only company who do this. Its not as if Apple, Dell (alienware one that hit the fan a while back) etc all try and manipulate the media?

Me, i'm kind of a programming whore, i'll try everything, and generally try to not tie myself down, you never know when you might miss the boat (as plenty of COBOL people did). If you choose to ignore a platform for reasons that stink of ill informed, and, i can't think of a way of saying un-balanced peducie (ie, the sun shines out of the arse of one, whilst the other is drowning puppies). Then you sir, will come unstuck very quickly next time theres an adjustment in software paradigms (as i've been banging on about on this forum a lot lately, i think its goign to be a major shift to functional, immutable variable friendly, stateless programming, very parallisation friendly).

So in short, this is really quite old news, you can ignore it if you wish, but do so at your peril, its not as if their giving you drugs which have a phsycial dependance develope. The only way you'd keep using them is if you thought they where better than anything else.

Before you ask, i do about 70% of my work in C# 3.5, running on only windows hardware and x64 kit. About 10% in Java (only when i have too, really looking to reduce this, as it just takes longer to develope + performance is worse for the style we've embraced (see generics + boxing).

I don't work for MS, or recive money in any way shape or form, i work for small hedge fund, where i have a lot of liberty in which technologies to use, as long as i don't mind taking the flack if it fails. As such i wouldn't even contemplate taking a pittfuly few quid back hander.