Banshee for example is the music management app I use, while Brasero is awesome for burning CDs. Higher-level applications should use higher-level programming languages to avoid bugs and make the overall desktop experience more pleasant.

When Sun disarmed the “Java trap”, many people celebrated. MS have disarmed the .NET trap and everyone is moaning. Novell capitalised on an opportunity that was both profitable on the corporate side and beneficial the community.

Microsoft announced that they will not sue people for patent infringement for making C#-related stuff in a community promise that they cannot take back. That shows they are committed to interop and are really looking for good PR with this. Microsoft benefits because FLOSS developers will make C# applications that rock, increasing the pool of good quality software for Windows and Linux benefits because existing .NET applications are now compatible. Microsoft and the free software community both win.

From the development perspective I can write applications that run on both Windows and Linux flawlessly in a transparent way. As Windows is used by many non-technical users, they need not lift an admin’s finger to use any applications since .NET is integrated into the newer Windows versions….

From the end user perspective because of the features of C#, .NET/Mono there are fewer bugs which cause applications to randomly segfault/pagefault and applications remain stable between Windows and Linux releases.

Everyone wins!

I would hope we’ve been around the block enough to realize that they’re up to something that they think ultimately give them an advantage over the open-source world.

Bull$#%&.

Most proprietary applications are and were written in Visual Basic, and have never been ported to DOT.NOT. As a result Mono is not a migration channel.

And of course, the companies that depend on these “Proprietary Applications” and who aren’t willing to port them to web based applications are the least forward looking, and most inefficient companies. They are the companies who are most likely to be forced into bankruptcy in the current recession.

Think of it as Evolution in Action.

So what use is Mono? The same use as any other programming language, assuming that it allows programmers to produce good programs. Based on the existing programs that use Mono, I’d say that it’s a total fail. At least at present. Another five to ten years of development on Mono may change my opinion.

Of course in my opinion Mono needs to become it’s own master, and stop imitating Microsoft. Why imitate a failed programming system, designed by a failed company (and if you don’t think they are a failed company, go read their financial filings on the SEC website – Microsoft is in deep trouble, and I don’t think it will survive for more than 5 years unless drastic changes are made).