Visual Studio Code (VSCode) has become a central tool in software development, yet its open-source nature is complicated by proprietary elements that create legal and functional challenges for users. Geoffrey Huntley reflects on the implications of using VSCode, particularly after reading Rob O'Leary's article on its extensive data collection practices. Huntley, no longer affiliated with Gitpod, expresses concerns about how Microsoft has transformed VSCode from a purely open-source project into a product that enforces a proprietary ecosystem, making it legally risky for users to utilize alternatives to Microsoft's official distribution. The blog post delves into the ecosystem of open-source forks of VSCode, such as VSCodium and OpenVSCodeServer, which aim to provide a version of the editor without Microsoft's telemetry and proprietary features. However, these alternatives face significant limitations, including the inability to connect to the Microsoft Visual Studio Code Marketplace, which further fractures the ecosystem. Huntley emphasizes that while these forks do a commendable job at disabling data collection, they cannot completely eliminate it due to the shared codebase with VSCode. Huntley also discusses Microsoft's broader strategy of transitioning from traditional software products to a service-oriented model, which has implications for the entire developer tooling landscape. This shift has led to a decline in non-subscription IDEs, as Microsoft increasingly positions VSCode and GitHub Codespaces as integral parts of its service offerings. The author warns that this strategy not only risks legal complications for companies that attempt to build on the open-source version of VSCode but also creates a dependency on Microsoft's proprietary tools and services. The blog post highlights the challenges faced by companies like Gitpod, GitLab, and others that adopt the open-source code of VSCode. These companies encounter legal barriers when trying to offer services that align with user expectations of the official VSCode experience, particularly in popular programming languages like .NET, Python, and Java. Huntley argues that Microsoft's control over the ecosystem allows it to strategically divide the market, making it difficult for competitors to thrive without adhering to Microsoft's proprietary framework. Huntley concludes by advocating for a renewed focus on open-source principles that prioritize user freedoms and combat the encroachment of proprietary software. He suggests that the future of software development tooling is at risk of becoming increasingly closed, and he calls for a movement to ensure that open-source remains a viable alternative to proprietary offerings. The blog post serves as a cautionary tale about the complexities of navigating the VSCode ecosystem and the potential consequences of relying on a platform that is designed to fracture its community.