Fwd: Re: [Mono-list] some questions?

[A Rafael D Teixeira]

SORRY Hotmail GLITCHED on me, so I am forwarding my own message. Letīs try 
again...

Rafael Teixeira
Brazilian Developer



----Original Message Follows----
From: "Antonio Rafael Dias Teixeira" <ATeixeira@adp.com.br>
To: <rafaelteixeirabr@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Mono-list] some questions?
Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2001 17:20:10 -0300

 >> 1. Suppose I were to write a compiler for java that
 >> generates CIL bytecodes. Would I be able to use the
 >> Mono libraries? The libraries are written in csharp
 >> which would seem to preclude there use in java... but
 >> isn't that the whole idea behind a common language
 >> runtime? What magic is this?

First, yes, youīll be using Mono libraries, mapped probably as if they
were packages. And any class you write in this "MonoJava" or "Java.NET",
would be useable by the other languages. But the catch is it is Java
syntax over Mono/.NET object model. To integrate the Java runtime so
that you could run precompiled classes is something else much harder,
and for now I think itīs out of the scope of the Mono project.

 >> 2. I take it that the Mono libraries are from the ECMA
 >> specs. Are these complete? I mean did Microsoft
 >> _really_ submit all of their .NET environment
 >> libraries to ECMA? Windows.Forms and ADO.NET and
 >> ASP.NET and everything?

No, Microsoft kept to himself lots of classes, some in a specific
Microsoft namespace. Besides ECMA is working with a smaller set just
now, and may even diverge on their final standard from the current
Microsoft implementation.

 >> 3. If the ECMA libraries are not complete... Is Mono
 >> attempting to produce an environment and libraries for
 >> Microsoft's version of .NET or just what is published
 >> under the ECMA?

Yes, there are many usefull classes not on ECMA current-list, that are
being targeted by mono collaborators.

 >> 4. If Mono is trying to produce an environment
 >> compatible to Microsoft's version of .NET not just the
 >> ECMA specs then isn't that giving a lot of power to
 >> Microsoft? I mean not only could Microsoft choose to
 >> break compatibility, but they would have full control
 >> over the data schemes and the libraries as well...
 >> Doesn't anyone see this as a problem?

If we are quick and bring it to fruition soon, maybe a lot of
applications may become available for ECMA and/or mono so that Microsoft
wonīt want to become incompatible, with their own and with ours
implementation.


 >> 5. Obviously I have a problem contributing to the mono
 >> compiler because I have no windows partition and it
 >> can not compile itself yet. Could I use wine for this?
 >> Has anyone tried?

Maybe someone else has more to say about it, for me itīs been hard
because .NET canīt be installed on any version of windows (it mandates
NT 4 or Win2000), and my machine at home has WinME, and my business
machine is used for development with VB6 and therefore canīt be mixed
with .NET. For those finnicky enough to ask, a RED HAT Linux Box is my
Web server/second workstation at home.

 >> 6. Not really a question... I've been reading the
 >> discussion over Portable.NET's compiler and Mono's. I
 >> see reason for both. I for one would want to use
 >> Portable.NET's compiler to compile Mono's. I do not
 >> trust Microsoft's version of the compiler nor there
 >> insinuations of possible licensing issues with using
 >> Microsoft tools to build competing products.

Me neither, if you can write a CSharp compiler in Java, for me it would
help us bootstrap the process as well. I wonīt try to offer a VB6
version not to be ridiculed, but maybe Iīll start to write a VB.NET
compiler for Mono, in C# obviously.

THIS QUESTION IS FOR MIGUEL: Would you accept it (a VB.NET compiler) on
Mono?

 >> 7. I have been monitoring the dotGNU list also and
 >> have been surprised to see quite a bit of malice
 >> towards Mono. Some have even suggested that Mono not
 >> be used as the runtime environment. This seems to be a
 >> tactical error. I was under the impression that dotGNU
 >> and Mono were to be complements of each other. Mono
 >> supplying the runtime environment and tools and dotGNU
 >> the authentication and web services. Can anyone
 >> clarify the relationship between dotGNU and Mono?

Nothing much to say about it, but it seems dotGNU want to leverage their
knowledge about their (FSF) tools, gcc and all. For the end user it may
not matter, and perhaps they can even perceive some speed advantage, but
the big question is for us poor developers Mono offers a better
structured framework (like Java, but not tied to a single language).

Sorry for talking too much...

Rafael Teixeira
Brazilian Developer



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