[Mono-list] Is it Mono safe?

[Thomas R. Corbin]

On Thursday May 20, 2004 06:53 am, jonathan.cooper@syntegra.com wrote:
> Some information...
>
> http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/wlg/4557
>
> Miguel and Novell legal staff are currently conducting a formal patent
> review of mono, and the team had already split up the components of mono
> into separate ECMA-based and non-ECMA components (WinForms, ADO.NET, etc)
> to clearly define what RedHat and others could make use of.
>
> Importantly, Miguel also said that Ximian had a letter from Microsoft,
> Intel and HP stating that they would offer *royalty-free* RAND licensing to

	See, that's what I don't quite get yet - the RAND business.   If they decide 
that $1000 is reasonable,  what will open source projects do then?   Very few 
would be able to pay that.   I am using mono and am very excited by it, but I 
just don't quite understand this issue.

	Ok, I'm willing to go along and see if MS or whoever decides to pull a SCO or 
not.   Especially since these days it could be just about anyone pulling a 
patent lawsuit, it just seems like mono isn't really any worse off than any 
other open source project.   It's just that I don't get the RAND argument.

> the ECMA-submitted components of .NET. [Aside: He said they were kicking
> around catchy names like 'polio' or 'cholera' to distinguish the free and
> non-free stacks] I told Miguel he should publicize the letter more because
> it was such a relief to me, but he said it would be premature to promote
> this before the patent review was complete in case other infringement was
> uncovered.
>
> http://www.go-mono.com/faq.html#patents
>
> Most importantly: "For Linux server and desktop development, we only need
> the ECMA components, and things that we have developed (like Gtk#) or
> Apache integration."
>
> http://www.mail-archive.com/mono-list@lists.ximian.com/msg06501.html
> Read Andy Satori's very well though out response, also Miguel's second
> response further down in the thread. I believe Andy hit the nail on the
> head with regards to the possibility of MS imposing restrictions on Mono in
> the future. MS are trying to better their image. They are now even
> releaseing old source on sourceforge. They would not benefit from any
> future attack on Mono.
>
> http://nwc.linuxpipeline.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=20300445
>
> Yet according to de Icaza, open source advocates have blown the royalty
> issue out of proportion. "We already know that the ECMA components are
> royalty-free," he stated. "To the best of my knowledge, I am not aware of
> any libraries or other parts that would have to be licensed" under royalty
> terms from Microsoft.
>
> "I think this issue comes up more because people in the open source
> community are scared of Microsoft and because they're ill-informed about
> the issue," de Icaza said. "We've spent a lot of time dealing with [the
> patent question], and we're confident that we understand it."
>
> --------
>
> I believe the Mono/Novell tem are working on an official legal standing for
> Mono 1.0, so please wait until then before voicing growing concern for the
> implications of development with the framework.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Simon Ask Ulsnes [mailto:simon@ulsnes.dk]
> Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2004 11:34 AM
> To: COOPER, Jonathan -Syntegra UK
> Cc: mono-list@lists.ximian.com
> Subject: Re: [Mono-list] Is it Mono safe?
>
> Tell me again:
> Why doesn't Novell/Ximian contact Microsoft to get it on paper that Mono
> _is_ safe?
>
> (and if Microsoft refuses, can we actually be sure it is safe?)
>
> - Simon
>
> jonathan.cooper@syntegra.com wrote:
> >I think one of the greatest barriers to adoption of mono by influential
> >developers will always be the MS issue. Miguel has explained the legal
> >situation over and over, but there are some linux users who will argue
> >over the smallest detail wherever MS is concerned with a technology.
> >
> >It is unfortunate that the community will negate the fantastic success
> >of the mono development guys through FUD and miscommunication.
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: mono-list-admin@lists.ximian.com
> >[mailto:mono-list-admin@lists.ximian.com] On Behalf Of Melinda
> >Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2004 6:40 AM
> >To: Mono List
> >Subject: [Mono-list] Is it Mono safe?
> >
> >Look over here:
> >http://www.gnome.org/~seth/blog/mono
> >and here:
> >http://www.osnews.com/comment.php?news_id=7094
> >
> >This is bad news.... :(
> >How do you convince somebody to programming in Mono if he already read
> >that news?
> >
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >Mono-list maillist  -  Mono-list@lists.ximian.com
> >http://lists.ximian.com/mailman/listinfo/mono-list
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >********************************************************************
> >
> >This email may contain information which is privileged or confidential.
> >If you are not the intended recipient of this email, please notify the
> >sender immediately and delete it without reading, copying, storing,
> >forwarding or disclosing its contents to any other person Thank you
> >
> >Check us out at http://www.btsyntegra.com
> >
> >********************************************************************
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >Mono-list maillist  -  Mono-list@lists.ximian.com
> >http://lists.ximian.com/mailman/listinfo/mono-list
>
> ********************************************************************
>
> This email may contain information which is privileged or confidential. If
> you are not the intended recipient of this email, please notify the sender
> immediately and delete it without reading, copying, storing, forwarding or
> disclosing its contents to any other person Thank you
>
> Check us out at http://www.btsyntegra.com
>
> ********************************************************************
>
> _______________________________________________
> Mono-list maillist  -  Mono-list@lists.ximian.com
> http://lists.ximian.com/mailman/listinfo/mono-list