Could you do this with VS Code? Technically, of course it's possible but I don't think it'd be easy. Legally, Github or Microsoft would eventually cave to a DMCA. GPL wins the day yet again.
I'm not sure about this, I think they are making their Python LSP proprietary too. There was a comment in HN about it a while ago, can't find it. Hope somebody can help.
So yeah GPL wins in this case. The strategy of Microsoft seems to be that they make the core VSCode open, but might make more and more extensions proprietary. Resulting in people getting locked to VSCode. Classic Microsoft.
[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25719045
So, so far, two very useful extensions cannot be used by forks like VSCodium.
The server is open source, right? It's here: https://github.com/microsoft/pylance-release. I don't know what you're referring to. Can you link to information about the proprietary extensions you're referring to?
"This repository is for providing feedback and documentation on the Pylance language server extension in Visual Studio Code. You can use the repository to report issues or submit feature requests. The Pylance codebase is not open-source but you can contribute to Pyright to make improvements to the core typing engine that powers the Pylance experience."
More info: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25719338
Edit: Info about the proprietary VSCode remote extensions: https://github.com/VSCodium/vscodium/issues/240
Edit 2: Microsoft history repeats:
"In discussing ways of competing with open source, Document I suggests that one reason that open source projects had been able to enter the server market is the market's use of standardized protocols. The document then suggests that this can be stopped by "extending these protocols and developing new protocols" and "de-commoditiz[ing] protocols & applications". This policy has been internally nicknamed "embrace, extend, extinguish". Document I also suggests that open source software "is long-term credible ... FUD tactics can not be used to combat it", and "Recent case studies (the Internet) provide very dramatic evidence ... that commercial quality can be achieved / exceeded by OSS projects."
Documents I and II were filed as evidence on January 16, 2007, in the case of Comes v. Microsoft."
2. They are allowed to have proprietary implementations of this protocol (let alone the fact that they created and opened up this protocol, so you could say it's their protocol).
Are they doing anything to close down the actual protocol?
The VSCodium folks drank the MS kool-aid and only later realised that the remote extensions are blocked. Now it's pylance, which will be THE python LSP for VSCode. This creates a lock-in effect. People who would have easily moved to VSCodium (which is VSCode minus telemetry) would stay with VSCode. And who knows what bit they would lock down next.
This is against the spirit of open source. Emacs or Vim would never do it, all the little Unix tools would never do it.
At least be honest like 'Sublime Text' or the Jetbrains IDEs. They have excellent software without the gotchas. They are upfront about what you are gonna get. Kudos to them.
[1] https://www.jetbrains.com/idea
With VSCode, it's not obvious. Whenever it comes up in HN, we feel it's open source. When one goes to it's github, one feels it's MIT licensed. That's why there are at least 3 issues in the VSCodium github asking why remote extensions are not working. It's like the excerpt from the 'Halloween documents' I commented above.
I don't think this is equivalent. It's their prerogative to not offer everything for free and/or make everything Open Source.
If they start banning Open Source extensions that do the exact same thing as their stuff, now that would be EEE.
Or if they change stuff in the platform to intentionally break Open Source extensions that compete with their extensions, that would also be EEE.
So far, there's no indication of that. This is just speculation.