07.18.09
More on Mono, Microsoft, and Novell
“We could refresh the look and feel of the entire desktop with Moonlight”
–Miguel de Icaza
Summary: A batch of small updates on the Mono/Moonlight situation
NOVELL’S (and Microsoft’s) plan with Moonlight is something that we have warned about ever since Moonlight was first announced. As usual, at the time, certain people dismissed this as something along the lines of "zealotry". The word “zealotry” (like “terrorism”) is increasingly being used to describe “something I don’t like” or “something I don’t agree with” (even protests or noise). The label most commonly fits a minority, so it is conventionally assumed that a majority cannot be “zealous” and strong nations cannot be supporting “terrorism” (which is, by definition, the use of force to accomplish political goals). Most critics of Microsoft are not “Microsoft haters”. On the other hand, Microsoft is a self-confessed "Linux hater", so Linux users are justifiably being defensive. But being a minority with little influence over the media, it is often GNU/Linux which gets daemonised.
Now, arriving at the actual point of this post, the community is rapidly becoming aware of Novell’s Mono-Moonlight intersection, which we covered in [1, 2, 3]. It is nothing but trouble, unless we all support Microsoft and Windows.
Banshee and F-Spot to depend on Moonlight
[...]
Planet Debian points to the news that Banshee and F-Spot is going to depend on Moonlight in the future. Moonlight is forbidden from Fedora. If this happens, Banshee and F-Spot have to be dropped from Fedora.
The FSF, which is against Mono, was very polite in its statement. As Sam Varghese puts it:
The statement conclude by saying that if Microsoft wanted to genuinely reassure free software users that it had no intention of suing them for using Mono, “it should grant the public an irrevocable patent license for all of its patents that Mono actually exercises.”
Watch the pro-Mono spinners in the comments. Here is one interesting comment from LWN:
I can only imagine the violent anti-FSF reaction and hate this will generate (or is probably already generating?) on various forums.
Anything that RMS or the FSF says is usually grounded in solid logic. Everybody would be wise to at least consider it.
As for me personally, and the businesses I am involved with, I would avoid Mono.
Which really saddens me because I like Mono. The language is better than Java, the implementation starts faster, it feels more lightweight, it supports static compilation, etc.
I have been on the receiving end of an IP-related lawsuit and it is an experience which one never forgets.
LinuxInsider quotes some more people, with statements that include:
“If you honestly think this will lead to cross-platform development, then you need your head checked,” wrote Josh in the comments on TuxRadar, for example. “Since when has Microsoft had any sincere interest in cross-platform anything?
“It looks to me like a classic Trojan horse,” Josh concluded, “and Miguel de Icaza is a tool.”
Similarly: “This Mono thing looks a bit like a Trojan horse,” agreed kt on LXer, where the topic was covered in not just one but two separate threads.
Jason has just suggested a new slogan for Mono:
New Slogan Time
Mono: Extending Redmond’s Reach into Proprietary Platforms on the backs of “Open Source” developers since 2001. Also some Linux apps in there somewhere too.
Boycott Mono and Novell. They take away the freedom of GNU/Linux users and turn Linux aficionados into clients of Microsoft. █
LiquiCap said,
July 18, 2009 at 11:22 am
Odd, it seems that the post where you are libeling other people seem to have comments turned off.
A few questions for Roy:
* Who pays your bills?
Have you received any favors, money, donations, hardware, support, assistance from any of:
* IBM
* Red Hat
* Microsoft
* Oracle
* Sun
* ODF
What kind of relationship do you have from all of the people you worship on this site?
If you are a serious “journalist” please disclose anything that could be a conflict of interest.
If you are doing “journalism” is your school aware of this? Have you registered as a journalist? Have you ever bothered to check the legal and ethical requirements to be called one?
aeshna23 Reply:
July 18th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
I bet Roy receives millions from ODF. XML-based file formats like ODF are rich beyond your dreams.
Roy Schestowitz Reply:
July 18th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Notice how the comment there is just a personal attack which has absolutely 0% to do with the post.
No, I’m not paid by anyone to run this site.
aeshna23 Reply:
July 18th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
I can’t say how strongly I disagree with the idea here. “Professional journalism” has done tremendous harm to our societies in western culture. Systematic misrepresentation for ideological or financial gain has been the rule, yet I believe that these “professionals” feel that they are ethical and are on the side of the good. Ethics can’t defeat self-delusion. I’m glad Roy is not a “journalist”.
And your idea of registering as a journalist only comes from evil individuals that wish to censor other people.
Roy Schestowitz Reply:
July 18th, 2009 at 2:54 pm
I had experiences when writing articles for a news site where the editor would wipe out paragraphs that state factual information about Microsoft misbehaviour.
This is why I agree with Stallman that people should reject news sites and instead rely on trusted blogs.