[Mono-list] Suitability of Mono

[Lee Fisher]

Open source GPL edition aside, open source community health aside, 
technical suitability aside, and Xamian busiess model aside, what about 
legal suitability for commercial Mono-based ISVs, and the customers of 
their products?

Previously, Novell was an OIN member, and had some agreements with 
Microsoft in some areas (for some non-ECMA components).

Now, Attachmate owns things, Xamian isn't an OIN member [in case that 
matters], and it seems ISVs may now be more vulnerable to Microsoft lawyers.

What about current legal protection, now that Xamian isn't benefiting 
from other non-Mono Novell IP/lawyers?

Are the previous agreements that Microsoft made with Novell w/r/t Mono 
being reissued with Xamian?

Does Attachmate own Mono, or does Xamian? Is Xamian able to renew the 
custom licenses to Mono, so downstream ISVs don't have to revert to GPL 
for their products?

I have some startup friends that look at recent Attachmate activity as a 
reason to abandon .NET to other FOSS solutions. Any positive news on 
this, please?

Thanks.