There may be a third Mono application in Ubuntu

Sorry Nick, I like your articles, but this one is very incorrect.

The .NET Framework is open for use on any platform. Microsoft will not sue anyone for making a .NET Framework for Linux or OS X or whatever else. In fact, they've heavily documented guidelines on how these platforms should be implemented.

The only part of the .NET Framework that is not open for use on any platform (not documented) is the Microsoft namespace. This is because this namespace is for interacting with Windows-only services, and so it would be silly to document this as it would have no use to other platforms anyway. They should have their own namespaces.

As a .NET developer I just wanted to clear up this matter. Microsoft isn't as bad as you sometimes make them out to be.

If MS would come clean I would have no objections but the recent FAT attack on Tomboy clearly shows that Microsoft can flex its muscles if it decides it has something to gain and can wait until that time. We really don't need this evil in our software.

You're right. The problem is that there *IS* the Microsoft namespace in Mono, and an attempt at reproducing the System.Windows.Forms namespace. You're right, if there was a legal battle, it'd target these two proprietary namespaces.

Of course, the solution is to use the GTK namespace and you won't have any problems.

I think banshee is too slow at start-up, but it does have some nice features. For example, it cleaned up my mess of music files into a nice, organized, directory tree.
Of course, banshee can be replace with rhythmbox with a single command, so I won't complain.

I think it's fine if mono enters the wonderful world of Linux, but it should remain legal of course, I don't want trials. However, they could bring Linux in the news and attract new users.. :O

Why shouldn't you use Microsoft developed technologies on open source?

“Every line of code that is written to our standards is a small victory; every line of code that is written to any other standard, is a small defeat.”
-James Plamondon, Microsoft Technical Evangelist. From Exhibit 3096; Comes v. Microsoft litigation.

Exhibit 3096 = http://www.groklaw.net/pdf/Comes-3096.pdf

And as for the comment about Microsoft not going to take legal action (Patent Infringement) on anyone...Really? I don't think TomTom would agree with you.

Sure, Microsoft has made promises and even olive-branched with open source community. But that still doesn't change the fact that they really haven't changed on the inside.

We geeks ain't stupid, we know its a facade...And most of us ain't gonna touch that crap.

I use mono on linux, alot. I hope distributions continue to use it and that it gains traction. If there's some legal questions then those should probably be addressed, but the majority of the .net platform is an open public standard so that should be fine.

Before you jump all over .net I think some of you should read what it actually is. There are some very cool ideas and technologies present. Probably among the coolest is seamless binary compatibility between various programming languages. Also it allows a large amount of software that was previously windows only to now work on linux. And work the way windows users expect - no compiling apps etc. There's work to be done yet, but I see mono as a huge step to bridging the software gap between windows and linux. Microsoft tried to kill java to prevent this from happening years ago, but now with .net it can be their own framework that finally allows windows apps to run on any platform. It's a good thing people, encourage it. You don't have to run it, but see the opportunity for what it is.

Banshee before you can install, listen, gmusicbrowser, etc.., By God that there many more options and better light.

Apps like, uhm.... Well nothing. Not even Notepad.

But they use .Net for deployment of, uh - well nothing.

But you can be sure they're using .Net for their big development of, uh - well nothing.

Exactly how much faith should you put in yet another Microsoft product that they don't even use themselves?

It's just another wedge to get between your code and your hardware.

Don't fall for it.

What apps?

Vista/7 has .Net integrated everywhere
SQL Server 2005/2008 is built on .Net
Visual Studio is built on .Net
Microsoft's entire website runs on ASP.Net
Most of Microsoft's new server products are .Net, incorporate portions of .Net, or are going to .Net

But seriously, keep fooling yourself. .Net is a great technology. Not to mention Microsoft makes it decidedly easier to develop for with Visual Studio which trounces any other IDE ever made.

(@Uglier American: This is about Mono, not .NET. Mono is used in some Linux distros, .NET is completely irrelevant. Not even Microsoft uses it to build any important apps.)

According to the Computer Language Benchmarks Game, Java (server VM) is a bit slower than C++, but C# Mono is even slower than Java. Why anyone would want to use Mono is beyond me.

@Uglier

Those are all done in VC++

Get out any debugger and see.

As to .Net integration, do you remember DDE? OLE? Any of the other crippleware proprietary APIs that Microsoft scammed people into investing time in developing for?

It's called vendor lock-in and if you want your company to survive you must avoid it.

Seriously why use Ubuntu at all if they are going to keep adding mono based apps, Banshee is slow as hell compared to Rhythmbox. Also from what I have read this whole Mono thing has been perpetrated by the Mono Pro camp to create a divide in the community simply because they are used to programming with a windows based programming language. Seriously for all you MONO folks if you want to use Mono/.NET go back to using windows. What is the point of trying to fill Linux with .NET apps? The reason why I became a Ubuntu user was to get away from Windows Flaws and .NET apps and now you folks want to bring them into Linux, that does not make a lot of sense to me.

And for you Linux folks whom would just say "Well just switch to Fedora" nope not going to work because eventually they will infiltrate that OS too and it will only be a matter of time before Linux becomes riddle with bad programming thanks to how easy mono makes it for those cookie cutter programmers out there which use Visual Studio and Mono. Try and get these fuckers to code something from scratch without their GUI and see what happens, half of them would be stuck. That shit leads to bad programming, less security. Go ahead and call it FUD or what ever you like but if this MONO shit keeps up the LINUX days are numbered, If there was nothing wrong with MONO Richard Stallman would not be making a fuss about it and letting people know that it is not a good idea.

To those who keep saying how great .Net is, I DON'T CARE! I take freedom over convenience any time. There are tons of great things out there: Java, Python, Ruby, PHP, ... with large established bases, why should I put a strap on my neck just to use something that *may* be better.

There's nothing wrong with the development of Mono, but writing more and more application based on technology controlled by a monopolist is suicide.