[dfcowell]

Realistically, out of all of the BigCorps who could have bought it (and who have deep enough pockets to sustain its bleeding,) Microsoft is one of the best of a bad bunch.

I'm not quite as cynical as the author of the OP when it comes to Microsoft's recent apparent change of direction, but who knows, that may just be naivety speaking.

[cecja]

the best out of a bad bunch... what does this even mean. They are killing a neutral force in the market space there is nothing good coming from it.

[dfcowell]

It seems like the alternative was GitHub running out of cash, so the main good coming from it is that GitHub will continue to exist.

[SmellyGeekBoy]

Better integration with Microsoft's existing ecosystem would be a good outcome (for developers working in that ecosystem) as well as more investment in general. As others have stated, VSTS is excellent so they definitely know what they are doing in this space.

"Nothing good coming from it" seems a bit of a stretch when we don't even know the terms of the deal yet - or indeed whether it's actually happening at all!