Posted by: Anonymous Coward
on September 11, 2003 02:54 PM
As previously suggested, one of Microsoft's target's in this action could be Mono.
The Mono project has been very careful about avoiding Microsoft entanglements:
-- Mono has avoided adding features that might involve patented IP.
-- Mono uses only the public, published C# standard.
-- Mono does NOT use Microsoft's<nobr> <wbr></nobr>.Net authentication services.
-- Mono does NOT expect to be 100% compatible with Microsoft's C# implementation -- if Microsoft adds undocumented extensions, Mono will continue to follow the standard.
Microsoft must hate that, because it gives them no hooks by which to slow or halt Mono's progress.
Meanwhile, Mono is a threat to Microsoft's plans:
-- Mono competes with MS<nobr> <wbr></nobr>.Net -- it can be used to build similar applications.
-- Mono is Open Source, with no proprietary lock-in hooks.
-- Mono users are NOT dependent on Microsoft authentication services.
-- Mono users do NOT have to pay any money to Microsoft (or to anyone, for that matter, unless buying support).
-- Developers trained in<nobr> <wbr></nobr>.Net can easily switch to Mono.
-- Applications developed in<nobr> <wbr></nobr>.Net can easily be ported to Mono.
So, as Linux does to Windows, and OpenOffice does to Office, Mono undermines<nobr> <wbr></nobr>.Net's lock-in potential by providing an alternative -- an escape route.
What can Microsoft do? They could try a Sco-Scam (tm) but it would probably be equally ineffective. Thus, Microsoft would have to resort to their usual plan B, namely, infiltration and subversion.
By providing<nobr> <wbr></nobr>.Net services that will run on Linux (and other platforms), Microsoft would hope to attract users to the "official" version, rather than Mono. Microsoft would hope to lull potential users into a false sense of security with the Opan Source license, and the Java implementation, such that they fail to see the real hook that lies in the Palladium authentication services.
Microsoft might also be hoping to fool Mono developers into using these tools, under the pretense that it will reduce the development effort of Mono, while increasing compatibility. But I doubt that the Mono developers will be fooled.
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A Trojan Horse for Mono?
Posted by: Anonymous Coward on September 11, 2003 02:54 PMThe Mono project has been very careful about avoiding Microsoft entanglements:
-- Mono has avoided adding features that might involve patented IP.
-- Mono uses only the public, published C# standard.
-- Mono does NOT use Microsoft's<nobr> <wbr></nobr>.Net authentication services.
-- Mono does NOT expect to be 100% compatible with Microsoft's C# implementation -- if Microsoft adds undocumented extensions, Mono will continue to follow the standard.
Microsoft must hate that, because it gives them no hooks by which to slow or halt Mono's progress.
Meanwhile, Mono is a threat to Microsoft's plans:
-- Mono competes with MS<nobr> <wbr></nobr>.Net -- it can be used to build similar applications.
-- Mono is Open Source, with no proprietary lock-in hooks.
-- Mono users are NOT dependent on Microsoft authentication services.
-- Mono users do NOT have to pay any money to Microsoft (or to anyone, for that matter, unless buying support).
-- Developers trained in<nobr> <wbr></nobr>.Net can easily switch to Mono.
-- Applications developed in<nobr> <wbr></nobr>.Net can easily be ported to Mono.
So, as Linux does to Windows, and OpenOffice does to Office, Mono undermines<nobr> <wbr></nobr>.Net's lock-in potential by providing an alternative -- an escape route.
What can Microsoft do? They could try a Sco-Scam (tm) but it would probably be equally ineffective. Thus, Microsoft would have to resort to their usual plan B, namely, infiltration and subversion.
By providing<nobr> <wbr></nobr>.Net services that will run on Linux (and other platforms), Microsoft would hope to attract users to the "official" version, rather than Mono. Microsoft would hope to lull potential users into a false sense of security with the Opan Source license, and the Java implementation, such that they fail to see the real hook that lies in the Palladium authentication services.
Microsoft might also be hoping to fool Mono developers into using these tools, under the pretense that it will reduce the development effort of Mono, while increasing compatibility. But I doubt that the Mono developers will be fooled.
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