Re: Mono and GNOME. The long reply.

["Henesy Christopher" <CHenesy AGRIS com>]

Disclaimer: I write Java apps for a living

I agree with just about everything Miguel said about the CLI and C# and how
it makes developers more productive.

What makes me sigh is that, IMHO, Java provides all of the same benefits.
Having studied .Net in detail, I haven't found anything that I would say
makes it better than Java.  As Alan pointed out in his e-mail, Miguel
mentions no features of the .Net framework that don't exist, or couldn't
exist for Java if some effort was put into them.  The problem is that the
average developer does not know this and it is disheartening that someone of
Miguel's stature apparently does not know either.

If Miguel decides to endorse .Net many people will follow due to his
reputation.  This is sad because it could eventually expose the community to
the type of dangers Alan mentions (such as new, patented features), when we
could have accomplished all Miguel's noble goals using Java.  I will admit
that we are not (due to Java's current licensing) COMPLETELY shielded from
these sort of IP/patent antics by SUN either, but their track record (take
the Java Community Process for instance) is certainly better than
Microsoft's.

I guess what I am trying to say, is that all other things being equal
(language features, API robustness, etc.) which they certainly appear to be,
why WOULDN'T you go with the more open and *nix friendly company's
technology?

	-Chris

-- 
Microsoft - Coddling the brain dead and penalizing the conscientious since
1975!