Slashdot Mirror
New Mono 1.2 Now Supports WinForms
smbarbour writes "The Mono project (the open-source .NET compatibility library acquired by Novell when Ximian was purchased) has released version 1.2. They are now including support for WinForms. Ars Technica has a detailed rundown on the new release. The Mono project supports Visual Basic.NET as well, so developers that use VB.NET now have the possibility of directly porting applications to Linux." From the article: "Relatively high memory consumption and performance bottlenecks are commonly perceived as being amongst Mono's most significant weaknesses. Some critics frequently refer to various performance issues to support arguments against broader adoption of Mono technology in open source projects, most notably within the GNOME community. The performance improvements in Mono 1.2 could potentially address such criticisms, but it is likely that a lot more work will be required before the problems are completely resolved."
Who uses this?
So now not only do we have to wait for submarine patents on C# and the runtime, now they can hit us on anything in their API as well. Especially with the Novell deal, people ought to realize that MS is just waiting for a chance to use their patents against open source. This is turning a bad idea worse. Just say no to Mono.
I still have more fans than freaks. WTF is wrong with you people?
its not just an 'extension', its a vehicle to kill off pre XP machines.
---- Booth was a patriot ----
Have you looked at job ads lately? Hundreds of VB(.net) jobs for every Python job.
Dump VB.NET in exchange for C#. You'll get more supporters on an open source system if you move to language that more closely resembles C, C++, Java. Sure they're compatible on a Windows box, but C# seems like a better choice between the two on Linux.
We're all hypocrites. We all have hidden parts, it's the contrast between them that make us more a hypocrite than others
VB.NET isn't VB6. Its a totally different architecture, with a (rarely used, aside when porting apps) compatibility layer (not an emulator or anything, just stuff to make syntax work), and similar keywords. The language, constructs and syntax structure is so similar to other languages (especialy C#) that you can use javascript applets on the net to convert between the two
VB6 and previous were shitty. VB.NET is good stuff that looks shitty.
That EXE file extension is a humourous anachronism on Unix. Now I know how the Mac people feel....
Irina Romanov
You know, I'm a huge fan of Emacs... I use it as my primary editor, I'm running Emacs 22 from CVS with the Emacs Code Browser. But it might just be because I'm new at using ECB and Semantic and those types of tools, but I'd take a full-fledged IDE any day. I like being able to right click on an identifier and go right to its definition, and not have to worry that TAGS didn't understand what was going on, or that it was in a file that's almost the same but in a different directory. I haven't even figured out how to click on an include file and jump to it. (BTW, like I said, I'm new at this, and I haven't really found a good "here's how to set up this tool" page. It's mostly along the lines of a lot of Unix documentation where it almost seems like to understand what it says you already have to know what it's talking about. So if you know how to set it up so that I can do these things, please let me know. If you want, give me an email and I can give you more information about my setup.)
Let alone the other things that a good IDE will give you like refactoring support.
Microsoft has made it abundantly clear that when you implement the the ECMA stuff, and your own CLR, you are entering into a RAND agreement with Microsoft, and they have patents essential to the running of it:
It doesn't matter what Microsoft "makes clear", they are simply spreading FUD, and so are you. You don't enter into agreements by implementing a public standard. You may be infringing on their patents, but given the vast amount of prior art, it seems unlikely that Mono is infringing on any claim that would hold up. And Microsoft's statement of terms may not be satisfying, but a court would take it into account if there ever were a lawsuit.
And what's the alternative? Sun has many patents on Java, has actively defended their intellectual property against FOSS projects, and open source implementations need to implement the entire Java platform in order to be useful.
Mono, in contrast, is a separate implementation, under an open source license, based largely on its own APIs and libraries. Also, Microsoft's patents have been scrutinized in detail.
The situation may not be very satisfying, but for anybody wanting something faster than Python and higher level than C++, the choices come down to Java and C#. Technically, I think C# is superior, and at least for now, the legal situation surrounding it is also better than Java.
This is why open source does not catch on. The negative attitudes towards anyone different or trying to learn new things. The very things that show me I am dealing with sociopaths online that turned me away from learning open source technologies for the past decade.
I know Visual BASIC, Mono allows me to use Visual BASIC in Linux. So some open source sociopath tells me that I must learn Python because Visual BASIC sucks, so I respond in kind that me switching to Python like he uses would not be good for me economically due to the job situations. Now I got a sociopath like you calling me an idiot. Nice job, you set back the open source movement five years with your shitty attitude! People like you make me want to stay with Windows, and stay away from Linux Sociopaths like you.
Remember, Slashdot does not have a -1 disagree moderation, and no, troll, flamebait, and overrated are not substitutes.