It's great that you can run Ubuntu VM's running Python/Django apps on Azure, as the author has done.
However, I think you can get more out of Azure by using its PaaS services. It is also possible to run a Python/django app in an Azure Website Service. The cost is the same, but management and security if the OS is taken care of for you. Upgrades and patches happen automatically. You can setup automated build, test and deployment from Git. You can setup background and maintenance jobs without having to manage cron. You can setup auto scaling of VM's. It saves a lot of work.
Of course, this risk of this is lock-in. But the technologies underlying Azure are almost all open. If you're carefull what you use, you can always take your code and run it on a VM in AWS if you want. Of course, you would have to setup/build your own scaling and maintenance processes, using (also proprietary) AWS services.
Like Microsoft, Amazon is likewise trying to get you to use proprietary cloud services. If you use S3, Beanstalk, Redshift, Search, you get locked in to AWS the same way Microsoft will lock you when you use SQL Azure, Azure Table Storage or Service Bus. You just need to be be very careful with any dependencies you take on into your startup.
That said, I have also had a very good experience with BizSpark. Not only do they give you lot of free stuff, but I they can also connect you with interesting partners internationally, and help your business in unexpected ways.
Except Microsoft's "lock in" is lighter; if you build using AWS or Google tech; you are using proprietary tech that can only be hosted by them, which is a deep lock in.
However, I think you can get more out of Azure by using its PaaS services. It is also possible to run a Python/django app in an Azure Website Service. The cost is the same, but management and security if the OS is taken care of for you. Upgrades and patches happen automatically. You can setup automated build, test and deployment from Git. You can setup background and maintenance jobs without having to manage cron. You can setup auto scaling of VM's. It saves a lot of work.
Of course, this risk of this is lock-in. But the technologies underlying Azure are almost all open. If you're carefull what you use, you can always take your code and run it on a VM in AWS if you want. Of course, you would have to setup/build your own scaling and maintenance processes, using (also proprietary) AWS services.
Like Microsoft, Amazon is likewise trying to get you to use proprietary cloud services. If you use S3, Beanstalk, Redshift, Search, you get locked in to AWS the same way Microsoft will lock you when you use SQL Azure, Azure Table Storage or Service Bus. You just need to be be very careful with any dependencies you take on into your startup.
That said, I have also had a very good experience with BizSpark. Not only do they give you lot of free stuff, but I they can also connect you with interesting partners internationally, and help your business in unexpected ways.