Re: [DotGNU]Microsoft.NET compatibility

[Norbert Bollow]

> question: If .dotgnu follows the ECMA standard to the letter, and Microsoft
> also follows it to the letter, how do you justify the slogan 'dotgnu is much
> more than .NET'. Another thing which I have seen is that the open source
> movement has always tried to beat Microsoft. If you adopt the .NET
> standards, arent you providing them the opportunity to say: 'We have this
> kewl new platform which even the open source guys are embracing'. 

The Mono project is giving Microsoft the opportunity to say that
already (regardless of what we may choose to do), and Microsoft
is already capitalizing on that.

When DotGNU also endorses IL (as one out of several supported
bytecode formats) and C# (as the primary development language
for code that is written for use in IL-based portable
ecxecutables) that is not likely to help Microsoft in any
significant way.  In fact, since we talk about the ethical
problems of Microsoft's strategy very openly, I think it is very
unlikely for Microsoft to mention us publicly in any way unless
they think they have a legal case against us.

Finally, I think that it is a fact that the IL spec really moves
technology forward by making clear that a bytecode spec is needed
that has the advantages of Java bytecode but not some of its
limitations.  Even though I generally don't like Microsoft, I
feel they deserve some credit for this.

Greetings, Norbert.

-- 
A member of FreeDevelopers and the DotGNU Core Team   http://dotgnu.org
Norbert Bollow, Weidlistr.18, CH-8624 Gruet  (near Zurich, Switzerland)
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