[Mono-list] Why doesn't Mono do cross platform GUI development like Java?

[reeset]

I've been spending some time going through the various lists and reading with
interest the discussions and recommendations for folks interested in doing
cross platform development that require a GUI component.  I appreciate that
there are options available for developers wanting to create native looking
applications for various platforms using Mono.Mac, GTK#, and then WinForms
or WPF using .NET -- but this also seems to be a big problem as well.  I've
been someone developing hobby tools for a variety of niche groups working
with libraries and publishers and what I've hoped for a long time, is that
Mono would provide a  well supported, cross platform GUI framework that
didn't require messing with all these various platform specific GUI tools. 
I just don't have the capacity or interest to have to maintain 3 different
codebases...I'd always hoped that WinForms would be that very basic GUI
layer for Mono, but at this point, it seems like Xamarin, the group doing
fantastic work, also has a business model that seems to be build around
encouraging that GUI components remain fragmented and platform specific.  

I realize with the recent code sharing changes with Microsoft and Xamarin
happening, maybe something will shake out -- but after all these years of
watching and periodically checking in to see if Mono might make .NET tools
more portable -- I've been really disappointed in how the client/GUI space
has been treated.  And I guess what I'm wondering is if I've missed
something in this space.

Thanks



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