You don’t need to use GitHub as your SCM to make use of GitHub Copilot. It’s just an AI-powered tool made available by GitHub, just like Microsoft has its own Copilot, Amazon has Q, etc.
The only requirement is to have a GitHub Copilot subscription, and there is a free tier if you want to experiment.
Just make sure that the programming language you are developing in is supported by GitHub Copilot.
From: OpenSource <opensource-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> on behalf of Dan Bale <dan.bale@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Friday, January 10, 2025 at 3:11 PM
To: opensource@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <opensource@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [IBMiOSS] Questions re Github copilot in VS Code for i
Sent by an external sender. Please be cautious about clicking on links and opening attachments.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am particularly interested in using Copilot to generate code. I've had success using the Microsoft Copilot app on my personal laptop to do this.
Due to the nature of our business, AI currently is pretty well clamped down in our organization. There are a few approved AI services that they are kicking the tires on in a very limited and protected scope. I learned that developers not on the IBM i side of the house are able to use GitHub Copilot and can request access from a "director of IT" (whom I do not know; yeah, big org and I'm 3 "layers" beneath him on the org chart) on that side of the house. When I requested access, I had the following exchange with the director:
Director: are you currently using GitHub? that is a requirement to get access to CoPilot
Me: I am using VS Code for i, which can use Github Copilot.
Director: "GitHub" is the source code repository, different from what IDE you are using (i.e. VS Code)
Me: I'm not sure I understand. This (1) shows GitHub Copilot is an extension that can be installed to VS Code. Is this different from what you are talking about?
(1) refers to a screenshot that can't be replicated on this list.
At this point (a few weeks ago), I got radio silence. Since he is a director, I don't want to come off as badgering him and want to convey a professional response on a topic that I'm not particularly well-versed in.
So, to his point, is there some particular difference between the GitHub Copilot extension and what he's saying?
(Note: I tried posting this on Ryver, but kept getting errors, so I'm posting this here.)
*** CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information contained in this communication may be confidential, and is intended only for the use of the recipients named above. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication, or any of its contents, is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please return it to the sender immediately and delete the original message and any copy of it from your computer system. If you have any questions concerning this message, please contact the sender. ***
--
This is the IBMi Open Source Roundtable (OpenSource) mailing list
To post a message email: OpenSource@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To subscribe, unsubscribe, or change list options,
visit:
https://lists.midrange.com/mailman/listinfo/opensource
or email: OpenSource-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Before posting, please take a moment to review the archives
at
https://archive.midrange.com/opensource.
midrange.com
