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Mono 2.0 and .NET On Linux
Several readers noted the release of Mono 2.0, which is compatible with Microsoft's .NET Framework 2.0. According to Miguel de Icaza, "... users can move over server applications built for .NET and client applications built with Windows Forms." InternetNews points out that only about half of the .NET apps out there will work on Mono 2.0, for a variety of reasons including (but not limited to) legacy Windows-only libraries and Microsoft's progress on .NET 3.0 and 3.5 APIs.
If mono would be full .net compatible (say "if"), this would mean, people be allowed to move their Windows .net enterprise application from Windows to Linux.
Be sure, that MS will never let that to happen ! This is not anything like MS beein BAD or things like technologically it is not feasibile ... just marketshares and money. An enterprise do care about their money and investment : so do their shareholders.
Alright, think of this. MS had runaway from Java when they though "we can no control this and make it platform dependent", thus "it's too much of a risk, let's trash VisualJ++, jview and the wfc's".
What did they do instead ? They build their own "Java platform" version. But one they can control and make sure it will never be used to endanger their assets.
Crossplatform sounds always good to people ears, so they also had to make sure the platform is portable to some reasonable level (money, could helps there to delegate to third party), but also that "it will always works best on Windows".
Money get back to its dady ;-)
Whatever Corel, Icaza & al claim, the only platform that MS cares is Windows. If MS realy cares about non Windows running .net framework, then would have at least build a compatibility test kit or GPLed the framework already, isn't it ?
Seriously, appart from the marketing hype, what is the chance a real life corporate enterprise applications build using .net migrate without problem from Windows to Linux ? IMHO, it is the same chance people migrated cobol application to Java with a single click: very little. Better to have full managed code, better to have mono supported API, better to use code used often, etc.
By the way, what is the long term for .net ? think of MS DNA ... at one point of time it will no more fit in MS grand-strategy and be deprecated by their master. Just because, beeing successfull would it has the potential to kill MS milking cow ! You can even anticipate, it will be some kind of "embrace and extend" thing that they really loves. Something that will let non Windows .net user in the middle of the road.
At first, MS has realized by pushing .net, a Java engeneer can move to a C# project ... But they do not have realized that by doing this a whole new generation has already become "Java-minded". .net developper, thing of this : do you like accessign to non-managed "pre .net" APIs ? does it sound modern to you ? easy to use ? simple ?
They now master Object, GC, persistence, etc and do not want to get back. If you are a
Look around, years back, it was .net "everywhere" ... now, seriously, the suffix has been deprecated. This means that even MS top strategists shows little interest for .net: less bankable than others MS assets + threat to other assets = let's not put lots of things on this (but some little to try to slow down opponents).
Anyhow, things are evolving, Linux is becoming ubiquiteous, Java is becoming ubiquiteous ... and those two are the best MS nightmare. How to kill them ? I dont think any strategist has an idea at redmont (or at least one that does not imply suicide of one of their assets).
Time will show ...
Rgs,
TM