[Mono-list] you do not need Linux to hack on mono

[Miguel de Icaza]

Some of you only have Windows, and you are wondering `What can I do to
help Mono if I do not run Linux myself'.  This is similar to Paolo's
post from a few days ago for the non-Windows crowd:

> What about if all you have is windows?  Is there a similar list around for
> the things that need to be done in Windows?  I'm looking for relatively easy
> stuff.  If there is anything, I have plenty of free time.

Oh, then there is a lot of interesting stuff that you can do:

	* Port the JIT engine to Windows.  The main complication is
	  porting the signal handling (in Unix we catch things like
	  SIGSEGV and translate that into throwing an exception).  The
	  equivalent must be done for Windows.

	* Work on tests for the class library.

	* Work on classes in the class library.
	  http://www.go-mono.com/class-status.html has the new and
	  beautiful class library status that Nick and Piers built.

	* Contribute patches so we do not leave the Windows port of the
	  interpreter and the JIT engine behind.

I suggest you write the tests first, because writing tests gets you up
to speed with .NET idioms and C# and it makes you understand the various
interlocking piece of the class library.  Armed with this knowledge
implementing the classes is even more fun!

Ok, maybe it is not more fun, but at least we will have a way to keep
track of any bugs that might be introduced into the runtime as the
project evolves.

Miguel.