
Microsoft Corporation sponsors IPython - mtct
http://ipython.org/microsoft-donation-2013.html
======
zokier
That must have been one hell of a demo:

[http://www.reddit.com/r/Python/comments/1n72bm/microsoft_don...](http://www.reddit.com/r/Python/comments/1n72bm/microsoft_donates_100000_to_the_ipython_team/ccg1eez)

> Basically the PTVS team did a demo of IPython for Microsoft Research big
> cheeses and asked them to consider donating (used Z3Py theorem prover for
> the demo). At the end of the hour they were ready to cut the check.

~~~
smortaz
i am the guilty party. it was an all up talk + demo of IPython on Azure (on a
linux VM!), with the punchline delivered using one of MSR's own libraries
(z3), wrapped w Python API's (by leonardo de moura). the big cheeses at the
mtg were tony hey (VP) & dennis gannon. i had been encouraging them to do more
w python at MSR (research work, wrap existing libs with python, etc.) for a
while and everything just came together on that day. i should say that the
real credit goes to the IPython team as it demos really really well :).

the donation comes w no strings attached & they can spend it any way they
want.

~~~
fperez_org
The work @smortaz and the PTVS team have done with IPython over the years is
awesome, and we're really very thankful for this!

------
Pxtl
Of course. MS supports Python in Azure, too... they seem to be embracing
Python in general into the Microsoft ecosystem.

~~~
georgemcbay
Microsoft's Merchant Server (precursor to Commerce Server) was primarily
written in Python and shipped in 1996. This is due to the fact that they
acquired eShop for the software, a company co-founded by Greg Stein (who is
pretty well known in the Python community).

Python has been fairly well embraced by some parts of Microsoft for quite a
while now, and while some of that support has come and gone over the years
(eg. IronPython), they still have projects like Python Tools for Visual Studio
which are very solid.

~~~
sanxiyn
Dino Viehland, who works on Python Tools for Visual Studio, used to work on
IronPython. No doubt knowledge gained implementing the language helps with
implementing development tools...

------
polskibus
While you're at it, dear Microsoft, please rekindle IronPython development!

UPDATE: I've just noticed a new IronPython release after more than a year! Is
that a sign of things to come ?

~~~
smortaz
Microsoft has not been directly involved with IronPython for several years
now. the community is active and doing well. we do fully support it in Python
Tools for Visual Studio and lurk on the alias to answer questions. We're
committed to continuing support in PTVS.

------
primelens
I've been amazed at how compelling a platform IPython - especially the
notebook format - has become. On the R front, RStudio also seems to be getting
better quite rapidly.

~~~
RodericDay
agreed. it's insanely good, I wish I had it when I was doing my B.Eng.

------
jofer
Also see the Numfocus mailing list discussion on this for a touch more detail,
if you're interested:
[https://groups.google.com/d/msg/numfocus/h8qfxqlFu0k/fGLxAgO...](https://groups.google.com/d/msg/numfocus/h8qfxqlFu0k/fGLxAgOZ2FcJ)

------
dep_b
Could someone enlighten me on the special status Python seems to enjoy inside
Microsoft? It's pretty well supported for something that is not invented by
Microsoft.

~~~
untog
They also support node.js, from what I recall. And you can use PHP on Azure.

~~~
awad
From what I hear, Node is getting a lot of love (all things considered) at
Microsoft and especially at Azure.

------
teh_klev
For anyone who's interested, Scott Hanselman recently interviewed one of the
Python tools team, well worth a listen:

[http://www.hanselminutes.com/384/python-tools-for-visual-
stu...](http://www.hanselminutes.com/384/python-tools-for-visual-studio-with-
dino-viehland)

------
adrianlmm
I suppose MS is using IPython internaly.

~~~
nbevans
Always a conspiracy on HN when it involves Microsoft, eh?

~~~
bostonpete
Why is it a conspiracy theory to infer that if Microsoft is supporting a
technology financially that they're likely using it internally (or planning
to)? MS isn't a charity...

~~~
seanmcdirmid
The grant supposedly comes from Microsoft Research Connections. They give
grants all the time to projects (usually at universities), I've (as a MSR
researcher) even been involved in a one before with KAIST concerning a
JavaScript related topic. Interest alignment is quite flexible.

~~~
fperez_org
Note that this is a donation, not a grant. The legal terms are completely
different.

~~~
seanmcdirmid
Thanks for the clarification. Note that I'm a researcher, not a lawyer! We
participate in relationships that involve money going from us to others, the
nature of which I'm not very clear about but the right people are. I'll be
careful about my terminology in the future.

~~~
fperez_org
I'm also a researcher, but I've had to learn how these things work :) When you
accept funds for a grant, that's a contract between the funding agency and
typically your employer (UC Berkeley in my case), not you as a person. It's a
contract to deliver the outcomes that you specified in your proposal.

A donation is just that, a donation: no strings attached, it is made in
support of recipient's work and mission, but without any specific task in
mind. Just like when you donate to your local public radio, you can't say "I
want these funds to pay only for such and such program I like".

------
vgoklani
$100k ??? really, is that a joke?

that's basically half of one senior developers salary, and in exchange they
get positive press + support for their platform.

~~~
fperez_org
a) it's $100k we didn't have, and which we greatly appreciate. We have a
'donate' button on the site, but that's basically a few dollars a day, more or
less. It will pay for pizza for a sprint every few months, and that's about
it.

b) we've supported Windows for years, money or not. The core team isn't made
of Windows experts, so our support may not be always ideal, but we always test
on Windows, have Windows CI running, and always release Windows installers.
Windows is widely used and we want the experience there to be as solid as
possible. The money was a donation, no strings attached (under US law it _can
't_ have strings attached, since it's a donation to a 501c3).

~~~
vvvVVVvvv
Props to you lads for the hard work. Don't let the naysayers drag you down.

