The CodePlex foundation doesn't want to be associated with Microsoft so it has changed its name to OuterCurve and is striving to be just like all the other open source foundations.

It seems that open source and big companies just can't work together - what a surprise.

Soon after OpenOffice split or forked depending on how you think about it - CodePlex has increased the distance between it and Microsoft by changing its name to OuterCurve.

The name doesn't mean much to me or to the few programmers I asked but that's marketing for you.

"Outercurve Foundation was chosen as the new name because the word ‘outercurve’ conveys the idea of a continuum, while showing that we represent a broader constituency of software companies and developers that are now embracing open source. The name with the logo, show that we are bringing these broader communities together through a shared interest in innovation and growth." Paula Hunter Executive Director.

The CodePlex Foundation was formed in 2009 by Microsoft to give it a foot in the open source community. Of course being something to do with Microsoft didn't make CodePlex a natural playmate for most open source followers. Since being created CodePlex has been steadily trying to move away from Microsoft by accepting projects and money from other sources. Now the name change is an attempt to end the confusion between it and CodePlex.COM Microsoft's website for open source projects. 

I have to admit that the logic of all this escapes me. Microsoft creates the Codeplex foundation as a way of getting a Microsoft spin on open source. The organisation then tries to move away from Microsoft and become like, well every other open source foundation or organisation...

Even though it has moved away from Microsoft in name it isn't doing so well in terms of technology. All of its current projects are heavily biased towards ASP .NET and Microsoft technologies.