Microsoft strikes a blow for open source with Visual Studio 11

Microsoft ha anunciado recientemente el lanzamiento de Visual Studio 11, la última versión de su popular entorno de desarrollo integrado (IDE). Si bien muchos desarrolladores agradecen las nuevas características y mejoras, hay un aspecto del nuevo IDE que ha causado mucha controversia y decepción entre la comunidad de código abierto: la eliminación del soporte para muchos tipos de proyectos y marcos que se utilizan ampliamente en desarrollo de código abierto.

According to Microsoft, the decision to stop supporting these types of projects and frameworks was based on data showing low usage and demand for them. However, many developers and open source advocates have criticized this move as a deliberate attempt to undermine the open source ecosystem and force developers to use Microsoft’s own technologies and platforms.

Some of the project types and frameworks that are no longer supported in Visual Studio 11 include:

-ASP.NET MVC 2 and 3

– ASP.NET Web Forms

– ASP.NET web pages

– Silver light

-WPF

– Windows Forms

– Windows Phone

-F#

– Python

– ruby

– Node.js

– angles

– react

– View

These types of projects and frameworks represent a diverse and vibrant range of technologies and paradigms that are used by millions of developers around the world to create innovative, high-quality applications. By removing support for them, Microsoft is effectively excluding a large segment of the developer community from using its IDE and limiting their choices and options.

This is not the first time Microsoft has been accused of being hostile to open source. In the past, Microsoft has been involved in several battles and legal disputes with open source projects and organizations, such as Linux, Samba, Java and Android. Microsoft has also been criticized for using its dominant market position and influence to stifle competition and innovation in the software industry.

However, in recent years, Microsoft has also shown some signs of embracing open source and collaborating with the open source community. For example, Microsoft has open sourced some of its own projects, such as .NET Core, PowerShell, TypeScript and VS Code. Microsoft also acquired GitHub, the largest online platform for hosting and sharing open source code. Microsoft has also joined several open source foundations and initiatives, such as the Linux Foundation, the Open Source Initiative and the Open Invention Network.

It is therefore surprising and disappointing that Microsoft has taken such a drastic step to remove support for many types of open source projects and frameworks in Visual Studio 11. This decision not only affects current users of these technologies, but also discourages potential new users from adopting them. It also sends a negative message to the open source community that Microsoft does not value or respect their contributions and preferences.

Microsoft should reconsider its decision and restore support for these types of projects and frameworks in Visual Studio 11. Alternatively, Microsoft should provide clear and easy ways for developers to install and use these types of projects and frameworks in Visual Studio 11 without compromising their functionality or performance. Microsoft should also collaborate with the open source community and solicit their feedback and suggestions on how to improve Visual Studio 11 for open source development.

Microsoft has a great opportunity to leverage its expertise and resources to create a powerful and versatile IDE that can support a wide range of technologies and paradigms, both proprietary and open source. In doing so, Microsoft can attract more developers to use its IDE and foster a more diverse and inclusive developer community. Microsoft can also demonstrate its commitment and appreciation for open source and show that it is willing to collaborate and coexist with the open source ecosystem.

Many developers are unhappy with Microsoft’s decision to limit the capabilities of its free Visual Studio 11 Express edition, which is expected to launch later this year. Unlike previous versions of Visual Studio Express, which allowed developers to create desktop applications for Windows using multiple programming languages, the new edition will only support Metro-style applications that run on the Windows 8 interface. This means that open source developers who rely on Visual Studio Express to create desktop software for Windows will either have to pay for the full version of Visual Studio 11, switch to a different development tool, or abandon the Windows platform altogether.

If you are looking for a free tool to develop Metro-style applications for Windows 8, you may be interested in Visual Studio 11 Express for Windows 8. This is a version of Microsoft’s flagship IDE that is designed for the new platform and its design principles. However, if you want to create desktop applications, you’ll need to upgrade to Visual Studio 11 Professional or higher, which carries a hefty $499 price tag.

Visual Studio 11 Express for Windows 8 does not replace the existing Visual Studio 2010 Express products, which are still available for free download and support a variety of programming languages and platforms. But Visual Studio 11 does offer some new features and enhancements not available in the previous version, such as improved Web standards compliance, code analysis tools, unit testing support and more.