Repository: vscode
Issue: Undocumented feature "Turn on Cloud Changes…" is visible
Labels: under-discussion,cloud-changes

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- VS Code Version: 1.85.2 (Universal)
- OS Version: MacOS BigSur

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Open Visual Studio Code
2. In the top right corner click on `Accounts` icon
3. In the dropdown, see entry "Turn on Cloud Changes…"

As a user and as a developer, it is not clear to me what this feature does. When [searching docs](https://code.visualstudio.com/Search?q=%22Turn+on+Cloud+Changes%22) for this setting, I have found [only one](https://code.visualstudio.com/updates/v1_74#_improvements-to-continue-working-on) relevant page:

> We have also renamed Edit Sessions to Cloud Changes to clarify that it relates to storing working changes in the cloud.

Searching further into "Continue Working On…", I have found [this page](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/sourcecontrol/github#_continue-working-on). Scrolling up on the page, I can see that "Continue Working On" is a part of [GitHub Repositories](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=github.remotehub) extension. But I do not have such installed, only [GitHub Actions](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=GitHub.vscode-github-actions).

Digging into the source of Visual Studio Code, I can see reference to the "Turn on Cloud Changes" [here](https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/blob/e1e590cf8f837f6bd289b3f4012f178a2835e56f/src/vs/workbench/contrib/editSessions/browser/editSessionsStorageService.ts#L464) and [here](https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/blob/e1e590cf8f837f6bd289b3f4012f178a2835e56f/src/vs/workbench/contrib/editSessions/browser/editSessionsStorageService.ts#L487). Looking into [existing GitHub issues](https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/issues?q=is%3Aissue+%22turn+on+cloud+changes%22) I can see that clearly "Cloud Changes" is a part of some big feature. And I wasn't [the only one](https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/issues/170737#issuecomment-1433621119) who couldn't figure out what "Turn on Cloud Changes" does 😅 .

My actual questions:

- Is "Turn on Cloud Changes" part of Visual Studio Code or GitHub-specific feature? It _seems_ to be part of [GitHub Repositories](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=github.remotehub) extension but clearly, the menu entry stays there even if extensions are disabled (as the menu can be found in the source).
- What exactly "Turn on Cloud Changes" will do? In regards to remote development using Visual Studio Code, everything is [clearly documented](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/remote/remote-overview#_getting-started) including what technologies are used, how it works, etc. But with this feature, it seems to be a bit of a opaque box? For example:

> The first time that you use Continue Working On with uncommitted changes, you will have the option to bring your edits to your selected development environment using **Cloud Changes**, which uses a **VS Code service** to store your pending changes. These changes are deleted from our service once they are applied to your target development environment.

- Where can I find more about this service and how it works? What is the privacy policy? What happens to the changes if they cannot be applied? Do they remain at that service indefinitely?