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GitHub backs down, kills Copilot pull-request ads after backlash

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Re: GitHub backs down, kills Copilot pull-request ads after backlash

#231

I’ll never understand why they ruined GitHub. They had everything they needed - the one place in the world where 99% of open source projects were hosted, where all the discussions happened. A product that people were so used to that it was a no brainer when it came to hosting private repos. And they had to ruin it and give space to GitLab and other competitors. What a waste…

This type of behaviour seems to be endemic within Microsoft. They're like the scorpion in the Russian tale of the scorpion and the frog, seemingly a retelling of the Persian tale of the scorpion and the tortoise:

A long time ago, a scorpion came to the edge of a great river. Not being a good swimmer, it asked a nearby frog if it might get a ride across.

The frog eyed the scorpion warily. “I’ve heard of your kind. I see the stinger you hide behind your back. I wish I could help you, but I cannot risk it.”

“Why would I sting you?” the scorpion reasoned. “If you die, we would both drown.”

The frog was convinced. It let the scorpion climb atop its back, then began to swim across the great river. But when they were halfway across, the scorpion suddenly stung the frog.

As the poison spread through his body, the frog cried out, “Why did you sting me? You have killed us both!”

The scorpion replied, “I couldn’t help it. It’s my nature.”

Microsoft just can't help it that they end up destroying the goodwill they inherit when they buy a property. It is in their nature.

Re: GitHub backs down, kills Copilot pull-request ads after backlash

#233

Updated to add on March 31: Martin Woodward, VP of Developer Relations, GitHub, said in a statement: "GitHub does not and does not plan to include advertisements in GitHub. We identified a programming logic issue with a GitHub Copilot coding agent tip that surfaced in the wrong context within a pull request comment. We have removed agent tips from pull request comments moving forward." Wow, well that is clearly a bal…

They're not even trying. But this time 'the hacker did it' excuse wouldn't hold so they had to come up with something new in a hurry.

Re: GitHub backs down, kills Copilot pull-request ads after backlash

#234

But why were they running unpaid ads for third party services? It makes no sense

So they can drop them at some point and then hold the party that has now become dependent on those ads to ransom and/or as a way to soften them up before acquisition.

Re: GitHub backs down, kills Copilot pull-request ads after backlash

#235
post #69

And what about the companies that thought that advertising (sorry, suggesting) their product through this channel was a good idea?

Don't assume they were in on it. Microsoft plays very weird games with platform access and traffic.

Re: GitHub backs down, kills Copilot pull-request ads after backlash

#236
post #186
post #152

I guess it's time to consider ditching GitHub. Everything that are purchased by Microsoft ware destined to be rotten.

What are some good alternatives for closed source codebases that people have been using and enjoying? I only ask because I already know of good alternatives for FOSS, but it's the private / work projects that keep me tethered to GH for now.

self hosted Gitea is my recommendation. has everything one needs and is super lean and resource saving. you can run it easily on a 1GB VPS - I even ran it for a while on 512MB.

Re: GitHub backs down, kills Copilot pull-request ads after backlash

#237
post #4

Calling advertisements "product tips" as if everybody is too stupid to understand what that means. They created an amazing technology that oftentimes is indistinguishable from magic and then use it to deliver ads and - sorry about the tangent - kill people. This really is the quote of the century: > The best minds of my generation are thinking about how to make people click ads What a waste.

These people could invent actual AGI, and the only thing they could think to do with it is push ads.

"The best minds of my generation are thinking about how to make people click ads", Jeff Hammerbacher (2012).

Re: GitHub backs down, kills Copilot pull-request ads after backlash

#238
post #4

Calling advertisements "product tips" as if everybody is too stupid to understand what that means. They created an amazing technology that oftentimes is indistinguishable from magic and then use it to deliver ads and - sorry about the tangent - kill people. This really is the quote of the century: > The best minds of my generation are thinking about how to make people click ads What a waste.

They were not ads though. The companies did not pay for those, from what I can tell. Microsoft seemed to really thought they were being helpful here.

I also get tons of helpful product recommendations and tips in my TV shows, every 20 minutes.

Re: GitHub backs down, kills Copilot pull-request ads after backlash

#239
post #152

I guess it's time to consider ditching GitHub. Everything that are purchased by Microsoft ware destined to be rotten.

Funny that people said the exact same thing back when GitHub was originally acquired [0], I wonder how many actually went through with their words and ditched it. I bet GitHub has more users today than ever before though.

[0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17227286

Re: GitHub backs down, kills Copilot pull-request ads after backlash

#240
post #151
post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I find it sad that while technological progress is seen almost as a given by virtually everyone, moral progress is often not even an aspiration

I have no control over the morality of others. Whereas I have direct control over how I use technology.

This is a non-statement. The reverse is also true.

I have no control over the technology that others use.

Whereas I have direct control over my own morality.

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