[Mono-dev] .NET Micro Framework Platform

[Miguel de Icaza]

> Not by us at Novell. The mono codebase can be tweaked to run with 3 MB
> of disk space and 3-4 MB of RAM (plus the stuff required by the system
> and your app). So it covers the uses cases of both the Compact and
> regular .Net framework.
> The Micro framework looks for a different market and requires a
> radically different runtime implementation. 

Paolo is correct, the Micro edition is too far from what we want to do:
we are happy to live in the "Regular" and "Compact" worlds, the "Micro"
world is better served by a specially tuned VM.

> If you read the paper you'll
> also note the system doesn't even run .net assemblies...

Exactly, they use a tool to "compress" assemblies further more, and I
assume they remove stuff that is not really required for micro
implementations.

> You could use some code from mono to do the implementation, but
> once you'll have it you'd need to convince gadget manufactures
> to use it.

What I think matters the most is that we all implement the same API, and
we can all benefit from a larger "ecosystem" of CLI implementations.

There is no need for Mono to go to every possible device.  It is very
much like wanting Mono on WindowsCE: it makes no sense, just use the
implementation that comes with your OS.

Mono should really be used for places where an existing CLI
implementation does not exist.   

Btw, RedFiveLabs produces a CLI implementation for Symbian phones, and
they consume some of the Mono class libraries to provide the
compatibility.   Not necessarily the same, but it is likely a light
framework.   

It is a proprietary VM though, and I also noticed that there is no
reference to Mono on their site, which is a shame, considering that a
lot of the code they ship comes from Mono.

Miguel.