Microsoft! Please, put down the rebrandogun. No one else needs to get hurt... But it's too late for Visual Studio Online
- Reference: 1588334353
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/05/01/visual_studio_codeplaces/
- Source link:
Now shedding 'Online' in favour of 'Codespaces' to reflect "the true value of the service", the rent-your-own-dev-environment platform was originally revealed at last year's [2]Ignite event and built on lessons learned from Visual Studio Code Remote Development.
Its purpose remains to provide on-demand development space that developers can access from pretty much anywhere with a Linux virtual machine lurking in Azure doing the heavy lifting.
There is also a private preview still running with the full-fat Visual Studio.
It's a neat way of bashing out a quick bit of a code with just a browser and internet connection for company. However, the cost of renting that environment can soon mount up, particularly when compared to something like Gitpod, which does something remarkably similar (using the [3]Eclipse Foundation's Theia IDE ) for anything from Free (with strings attached) for open-source developers, to €35/month for unlimited hours and 16 parallel workspaces.
You say workspace, they say codespace, let's call the whole thing off.
While Gitpod runs on Kubernetes clusters hosted by Google Cloud, an active codespace in Microsoftland requires a Linux instance (unless you self-host, in which case there is no charge). The standard instance (four cores and 8GB RAM) currently goes for $0.45/hour while the Premium version (eight cores and 16GB RAM) is $0.87. Both enjoy a 64GB SSD.
From next week those prices are tumbling, down to $0.17 and $0.34/hour respectively. Microsoft also added a new tier yesterday, imaginatively titled "Basic", which will cost $0.08/hour (it's $0.24 at the moment).
The team also recently made it possible to skip between the instance types.
While we're not entirely sure about the "spiffy" new name, Visual Studio Codespaces remains a handy collaborative tool, accessed either through the browser or a desktop version of Visual Studio Code.
The reduction in price might tip the balance away from self-hosting for some, but for those not so keen on the Microsoft ecosystem, Gitpod and its ilk remain an attractive alternative. ®
Sponsored: [4]How to Build Your Digital Experience Portfolio
[1] https://devblogs.microsoft.com/visualstudio/introducing-visual-studio-codespaces/
[2] https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/11/13/visual_studio_online/
[3] https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/03/31/eclipse_theia/
[4] https://go.theregister.co.uk/tl/1936/-8578/how-to-build-your-digital-experience-portfolio?td=wptl1936
Re: This is Microsoft
Nope. Didn't you get the memo? - https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/03/30/microsoft_office_changes/
Office 365 is no more. It is now Microsoft 365.
Safe option
The MBAs must be kept occupied, given the risk of leaving them alone with anything important. Having them invent meaningless product names (.NET was one) is the safe option.
Re: Safe option
Yeah, but... somehow their "work" has a recurring tendancy to leak and infest the real world.
Even safer option
The MBAs must be kept occupied unemployed.
On the bright side, at least this time the new name is clearer than the old one.
Yeah, but Codespaces reminds me of Codeplex, and that makes it feel like a last ditch rebranding of a failing product?
(Also, price cuts? Not really in Microsoft's DNA, price cuts...)
Maybe Gitpod didn't want to sell out, so MS found they had no choice but to try and... I can hardly bring myself to say it... compete.
[Shudder]
"MS" and "compete" in the same sentence, and with positive connotations. I feel dirty now.
One problem with the lockdown
is that I've missed my latest eye test, and thus misread the subhead as "Visual Studio Codpieces".
Icon because I really need new glasses.
Re: One problem with the lockdown
I suspect your glasses are just fine, and that somebody in Redmond is cursing autocorrect right now.
Questionable value
"In the cloud" can evolve. In a world where monsters like Microsoft and Amazon are trying to suck the entire universe into their clouds, it is better when such tools can be launched inside a container, and the customer can run the container anywhere. This makes it private, portable, and controllable. Say no to Microsoft and Amazon.
obligatory comment
Re-Brawndo ... it's got Electroly^H^Hspaces.
This is Microsoft
They will rename it "Office365 codespaces for workgroups internet edition"