[Mono-list] Surveys: Mono 1.0 and Mono Conference.

[Mihcael J. Ryan]

Miguel de Icaza wrote:

 > Hey guys,
 >    I want to query the community, and find out about two things:

cool

 > 	* What should Mono 1.0 be?

IMO, since the arguably largest impact so far is probably in the
ASP.Net support, I would say that 1.0 should have a fully functional
stand-alone server, and apache module.. afaik, most/all of asp.net
and the webservices are supported, would concentrate on these aspects.

Also, this is arguably the most important aspect regarding a light
weight webserver distro (similar to other net appliance-type boxes)
because afaik, a *lot* of people would be interested in being able
to setup/deploy a .Net webserver in a light environment.

I think that System.Windows.Forms should be a focus for the 2.0
mark, since this level is a bit off, and IMO important for a more
broad acceptance, given that GTK# is pretty much the GUI of choice
for the linux side, even if System.Windows.Forms could map to GTK#
object model, as consistant as possible with the coding in use for
the windows forms on the MS side, this would bring a larger desktop
adoption, and hopefully/finally push a better development environment
for cross-platform business solutions.

 > 	* When and where should we do a Mono developer summit.

I think that a 1.0 release point would be a good time, perhaps overlapping
or coinciding with another IT conference, perhaps an area in Comdex LasVegas
would be a good time/place, if it could be ready by fall comdex.

 > * Mono 1.0
 > 	Mono is rapidly approaching maturity in various of its class
 >         libraries, the question in everyone's minds is: is it worth
 >         waiting for the full .net framework implementation to be ready
 >         to publish 1.0, or is a subset fine?

I think a subset is acceptable, as long as at least one of the two
primary uses for .Net are in place, probably the closest being the ASP.Net
implimentation.

 >         Mono 1.0 so far is going to be a subset, and my current thinking
 >         is `.NET 1.0 minus two major pieces: EnterpriseServices and
 >         Windows.Forms'.

Sounds good to me.

 >         But today some people suggested that we might want to have a
 >         Mono 1.0 release earlier by committing to less than that,
 >         something like:
 >
 >         Mono 1.0:
 >         	C# compiler
 >         	Toolchain (ilasm, ildasm, al, etc)
 >         	corlib, System, System.XML, System.Security.
 >         	ADO.NET (System.Data and providers)
 >         	ASP.NET (System.Web.Services and System.Web)

I would agree to even this, since this, as said before would support
probably what 90% of .net development is using.. even the windows forms
afaik are going through a much slower adoption than the asp.net side.

 >         Anything else that is robust by the time the other components
 >         are deemed "stable" would also make it.  So if for example
 >         "System.Wasabinator" is of 1.0 quality by the time the rest is
 >         done, we can also include it.
 >
 >         We would later publish the other components in upcoming
 >         releases:
 >
 >         	JScript, VB.NET (compiler and runtimes)
 >         	System.DirectoryServices
 >         	System.EnterpriseServices
 >         	System.Windows.Forms

I would think if an early release of 1.0 that these would be needed for
the 2.0 marker.

 > * Mono Conference (Code name: Mono Summit of Love).
 >
 >         Gnome has been fairly successful at running yearly conferences
 >         for users and developers.   And these face to face meetings are
 >         fantastic to improve the collaboration between the various parts
 >         of the project, and help to go over development bumps rather
 >         quickly.
 >
 >         Also, it is great to put faces and voices to nicknames and email
 >         addresses.
 >
 >         So am thinking that we need to have a such a summit.  There are
 >         two questions: what is the audience for this summit and where
 >         should we base it.
 >
 >         Audience:
 >
 >                 We can certainly make this a hacker-only conference, but
 >                 given the amount of projects, companies and developers
 >                 using Mono, it might make sense to have something with a
 >                 larger scope.

Possibly, as I said before, I think that coinciding with another conf, may
work to an advantage as well...  I would love to attend, myself regardless
of where/when.

 >                 In one extreme we have the `big room with internet
 >                 access, printers and laptops' and in the other we have
 >                 something more formal including presentations on
 >                 specific technologies, tutorials and workshops.

that would be very cool.. something that I would like to see is a tutorial
for setup in say redhat for non-linux developers, ie. people moving from
windows, who want to deploy in linux...  Personally, I don't have much
desire to learn all that linux is, and that's one of the things I am really
excited about with the mono project.

 >                 I know active Mono developers would like to come (and am
 >                 working on getting the funding to pay for airfares and
 >                 hotels for those who can not afford a trip to the other
 >                 end of the world).
 >
 >         Location:
 >
 >                 I suggested Cancun during summer break, but Nat quickly
 >                 pointed out that if you are working for a company, there
 >                 was no way your boss would authorize such a thing.

this is very true..  I think that as far as a summer location that maybe
Cape Cod would be a good spot... Also, Las Vegas is generally a nice
location.. if shooting for early spring, then Phoenix, AZ is pretty damn
nice that time of year.

 >                 So here are the parameters:
 >
 >                 	* If we are getting many latin-americans/asians,
 >                 	  we should do it in a country that does not
 >                 	  require VISAs, so that rules out the US and
 >                 	  Brasil.

Gotcha on that... I work at a travel fullfillment company and just talked
to one of the agents here, and she suggested that Cancun would be a good
location, but timing in late summer/early fall (september-october) would
probably work better for pricing/availability, and would probably go over
better with "the boss"...

 >                 	* If we are getting mostly US citizens,
 >                 	  Europeans that are under the VISA waiver
 >                 	  program and just a few foreigners, we might
 >                 	  consider the US.

if shooting for a time say from november through march, I would say that
LA, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Houston, and Orlando would be great spots in the
US... If shooting for the warmer months, Portland, Seattle, Boston, and
Philladelphia would be good choices

 >                 My choice would be to pick a cheap city, rather than an
 >                 expensive one, and one that has good airport
 >                 connectivity to minimize airfare cost, for case A we
 >                 have:
 >
 >                 	* Cancun, Mexico.
 >
 >                 	* Barcelona, Spain

both would be pretty good... I would say Cancun, but would want to avoid
the peak tourist dates...

 >                 For case B we could probably do Boston, unless some
 >                 University wants to step up and provide some facilities.

Never know.. if you wanted to do more inland in US, and wanted a University
I notice that Oregon is a heavy mirror for pretty much every linux distro,
and usually has the best bandwidth for downloading from... for other US
suggestions, see above.

 > Love, Love, Love,
 > Miguel.

We love ya too.

-- 
Michael J. Ryan - tracker1(at)theroughnecks(dot)com - www.theroughnecks.net
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