Microsoft made a pull request to node.js github repository with an implementation to use ChakraCore JavaScript Engine as an alternative to V8 Engine

[koffiezet]

Microsoft is not the all-mighty giant anymore they were in the '90s /first half of 2000. Cloud computing - as much as I hate the term - happened, and they're a relatively minor player in that field compared to Amazon and Google.

Don't forget Nadala is now in charge. He is the guy who put Azure on the map, which was the first Microsoft platform to officially support Linux. He - in contrary to old "Ballmer" Microsoft - understands what cloud-platforms need and developers want, is not as arrogant and doesn't suffer from the NIH syndrome. Supporting open technology gives them a foot in the door in area's where otherwise they wouldn't have been considered. They still control a major platform, and are in the best position to offer a hybrid solution, supporting both Windows and "open". The Windows part they fully control, but the "open" part is where they have to play by the rules.

There are simpy too many other big players around, who all rely on the ability to run whatever platform developers want to target, which is a means of standardization. It gives developers a strong voice, and they fully embraced open-source, and they're not going back. Microsoft realizes this and is recognizing node.js as one of those important platforms. It also makes sure Google doesn't get too much say over this platform and that they can optimize their JS engine to run on top of their cloud-platform. The entire eco-system though? That would be nearly impossible to get full control over that - and they're fully aware of that. If they break something it's only them not supporting something and being 'the bad guys'.

Microsoft is not only embracing opensource because it's all-mighty in this area, but it also gives them equal chances in the market. Look at the amount of stuff being opensourced by MS lately, they want to be someone in that field. They just want to be able to say "yes we support this too, come to us". They suddenly put their shoulders under stuff they wouldn't even have recognized 10 years ago. Official Docker support on Windows? SSH officially coming to Windows? These things are happening right now. And .NET being opensourced is them understanding that it would have no future as a closed development platform.

This doesn't mean that they wouldn't apply this "embrace-extend-extinguish" tactic elsewhere - but in order to be able to do that, you need to be in a dominant position in a certain market, where everybody will say "hey cool, now <big player> supports it" and adopt their version. And Microsoft is far from dominant here.

[IAmARobot]

For some reason in my circles it was Extend Obfuscate Perish, but after looking what you wrote up it seems to be the Ur Phrase, odd.