[Mono-list] Microsoft C# and CLI for freeBSD && Windows/Runtime metadata stuff

[Bob Smith]

I have a question. Is it safe to look at the API documentation on
Microsofts website? For example, if you wanted to work on the System.Data
classes.

On Thu, 9 Aug 2001, James Perry wrote:

>
>
> On 8 Aug 2001, Reginald M Poyau wrote:
>
> >
> > Microsoft and Corel are going develop shared source implementation of
> > ECMA standards C# and CLI for FreeBSD and windows.  This is very very
> > sneaky move if you ask me ( there are feigns within feigns here ).
> >
>
> They announced this a while ago. What's sneakiest about this is the
> copyright issue involved, though. Look at the shared source implementation
> of .NET and you're 'tainted'. If you've looked at their source code and
> then work on a project which develops a compatible system but under
> entirely different licensing (i.e., GPL) suddenly the threat of lawsuit
> becomes real and the other project is faced with the prospect of either
> scrapping large sections of its code, going to the expense of
> demonstrating that the code is in no way based on the shared source
> implementation and the possibility of a large legal bill that could
> result.
>
> Certainly an effective way of dealing with the competition should they
> become too much of a threat - and nicely explains why Miguel says not to
> look at any shared source implementations or disassemblies on the Mono
> website.
>
> (I tried to explain the dangers of this to the ReactOS project w.r.t. the
> shared source release of WinCE 3.0, but it fell on deaf ears. I
> think reactos.com even links to the shared source download page somewhere
> now. For those who don't know, ReactOS is aimed at producing a GPL'd
> implementation of WinNT - not pretty graphics yet but the system executive
> seems to be coming along very well.)
>
> -
> On a completely different note... Miguel, does the runtime currently
> include metadata validation? I couldn't find anything in libmetadata
> or any other part of the runtime that looked like it could be it.
>
> Similarly, does the runtime include in the metadata table info information
> about what the column's values are (i.e., 1,2,4 byte constants or indexes
> in heaps?). It's the kind of thing that would make testing for row
> uniqueness not quite the PITA it could be, but again, I couldn't find it
> anywhere if it's there.
>
>  -james
>
>
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