[Mono-list] When will the .net framework available?

[Jonathan Pryor]

At the risk of sounding overly pessimistic, mono will never release the
".net framework" for two reasons: (1) ".net framework" is probably
trademarked by Microsoft, so we couldn't call our libraries that, and
(2) Microsoft keeps adding features to their ".net framework", such that
mono is constantly playing catch-up.

For example, current estimates (AFAIK) are that System.Windows.Forms
will take ~1-2 years to implement, by which time Microsoft might have a
newer version released.

That doesn't mean that .NET programs will never run under mono.  Several
do right now.  What it means is that asking "when will the .net
framework be available" is the wrong question.  The right question is
"when will <list of assemblies/namespaces/classes /> be usable"?

Right now, that's a large "it depends."  Large portions of the .NET Base
Class Library are implemented (XML, Remoting, Networking, File handling,
Console support, etc.).  Replacements for other parts are also available
(e.g. Gtk# could work as a replacement for System.Windows.Forms).  Thus,
it's very difficult to say, a priori, whether your application will work
or not work under Mono.  I've heard of several projects that were never
intended to run under Mono which worked without any changes.  (An IRC
library comes to mind, I forget the name of it.)

Even if it doesn't work immediately under Mono, it may be possible to
rewrite parts to permit greater portability (such as using Gtk# as the
GUI front-end for Unix platforms instead of System.Windows.Forms).

You can download mono from http://www.go-mono.com/download.html.

Unix operating systems are supported.  It works under Windows, Linux,
Mac OSX (with some documented issues; check the archives), and it's part
of the FreeBSD ports tree (IIRC; I know it's in *one* of the BSD ports
trees).  I know that people have worked on Solaris and S/390 ports in
the past, so there's a reasonable likelihood that it still works on
those platforms, if with some issues (like the JIT not being supported).

hth,
 - Jon

On Fri, 2003-04-04 at 10:29, John RHyu wrote:
> I have very much interest in the mono project.
> 
> Would you please tell me when the .net framework will available?
> 
> If it is already available, how can I download it?
> 
> Will you also support UNIX operating systems?
> 
>  
> 
>  Jungwon
> 
>