[Mono-list] RE: Is it Mono safe?

[Nik Derewianka]

Rick Kitts wrote:

> On May 20, 2004, at 2:03 PM, Jeffrey Stedfast wrote:
>
>> you are confusing the issue. it's not the idea that can limit your
>> freedom, it's the implementation that can.
>>
>> that said, your concerns becomes moot.
>>
> I'm sorry but I don't understand what you're saying.

The processor heat reduction helps you and your computing industry.  
Your useage of that IDEA does not in anyway help the Societ Govt etc.  
Your paying the soviet union for the processors that implement that idea 
would help the soviet govt.

Likewise - C#, the idea of a multi-lingual VM, CLI, CTS etc alone are 
good ideas (and not original to MS).  Using them to help you produce 
better code in a shorter time does not help microsoft if you use it on 
your own implementation.  It does help them if you exclusively use only 
their implementation on their OS and place yourself under their control.

There are way too many factors for microsoft to overcome to kill mono 
that it makes it highly unlikely that it will ever succeed.

First - there is no single entity that they can shut down, they would 
have to contest every contributors copyright in every country that they 
come from (with different views on IP laws) and succeed in EVERY SINGLE 
CASE for them to have a chance at stopping the distribution of the 
CURRENT source.   Those developers would still be free to create a 
workaround and continue after a setback - witness the SCO debacle and 
the approach all the authors had to working around the problem.

Secondly - as pathetic as the DoJ has been in doing anything remotely 
resembling curtailing of MS's abuse of its monopoly position, it can 
still incur scrutiny from watchdogs if it attempted to do something so 
blatant as trying to kill competition from mono.  The EU might even 
actually add some bite to it with a punishment.  Then there is the court 
of public opinion - industry pundits would have a field day 
sensationalising Microsofts blatant abuse of monopoly power (yet again).

Thirdly - as Miguel pointed out - unfortunately most development 
scenarios are now patent encumbered already.

At the end of the day - your taking a risk:
is it any bigger than using any other language ??(probably not)
would it be insurmountable to overcome any obstacles ??(probably not)
Do you get the benefits of this technology immediately to help you and 
your projects ?? (yes)


Regards,
Nik