Confessions of a Mono hacker

Mono is not just some copy of .NET. I hate that assumption. I fight it constantly. We are not helping the “.NET monopoly” (if there is such a thing). Mono isn’t out to kill Java as much as Python and Perl are out to kill Java. It’s not some massive conspiracy to infiltrate the OSS world like Stalman would like you to believe. Its just Mono. It’s a tool. While I don’t hate hate Java or Python as a platform, Mono is just better (not to mention that you can run Java and Python on top of Mono).

This is such old news, but it bears repeating. I’m not a fan of Windows (even though I develop for it and use it at work). I think Linux is the wave of the future. However Mono and what Microsoft has created doesn’t mean that it’s some how horrible thing that we can’t use on Linux.

“OOOOooooOOOO Microsoft created something cool. We surely can’t touch it because they had a hand in it. Microsoft must be the ultimate evil.”

Well if that is you or you complete agree with that statement, then you can go suck a lemon. Seriously. You need to get a life if you don’t have anything better but knock everything Microsoft does. Sure they have done somethings in the past that seem anti competive, but they have to protect their investors (if you really want something to do, go hit the FCC up on laws that can protect companies against crap and help them with trying to hit longer term goals for the greater good).

However, to Microsoft, all 70 something thousand of you: you have to know that you are public enemy number one in our world. There are zealots in the OSS world that want to see you die. While I don’t agree, I can empathize with their position. You will never win them over at this rate. There are more anti-Microsoft zealots then you have employees. The Port 25 guys are a good atempt but you need to expand the effort. Try thinking outside the box on this one. Way out side the box then normal. I mean giving up the source code to something you hold near and dear under no stipulations. Offer it up as your sacrificial lamb. Like Windows or .NET or SQL server or something like that. Give it up as Apache or BSD licensed. I guarantee that you will stop almost all the negative press you guys get. No silly Shared Source licensed. Get Slashdotted for changing the world.

Now Zune, Microsoft really needs to cut bait on and live with. Learn from it’s mistakes. That was a world class Gen Y screw up. No body has one of those that I know of. It’s a joke with my old buddies.

Syndicated 2007-11-30 03:09:15 from Zac Bowling's Blog