I'm really focusing on the search feature that's no longer available for a given repository unless you're logged in. Everything else is "Microsoft added extras to git". If all I can do on GitHub is use it to git clone, then what's the purpose of it?

It's clear the "extinguish" phase of Microsoft's open source venture has started. There're plenty of very good alternatives, it's time to move on.

There is actually such a place! The Linux kernel (the original use case for Git) is developed by emailing patches to the appropriate mailing list. The mailing list is compatible with self-hosted mail systems.

But you still need an account. email one in this case.

You don't need an account to read the list.

http://vger.kernel.org/vger-lists.html

Unless you count your ISP of course.

You don't need an account to browse GitHub PRs or issues either.

You need an e-mail for GitHub as well, but in addition a GitHub account

You don't need an account to send email. You can send emails using nothing but a CLI tool on a *nix machine. Although most mainstream email services will send those to the spam folder these days.

I thought damn near every ISP blocks port 25 outgoing. I even had to open a ticket to get it unblocked on a vps I use.

probably for the best.