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Allegation: Novell Has “Profit Motive for Pushing Mono Everywhere”

Mono is all about the money



Summary: How Novell uses Mono to spread proprietary software to proprietary platforms and exclusively make money from this practice

OUR reader Brandon pointed out the obvious about Mono's vested interests yesterday. To Novell (and to Microsoft), Mono is means for (up)selling proprietary software. It oughtn't be so shocking that Microsoft MVP Miguel de Icaza publicly spoke at Microsoft less than a year ago about how software freedom makes it hard to make a living. The hypocrite himself is very rich and he has just published this post which says "I will be in Redmond from Tuesday afternoon until Friday night."



Anyway, to quote Brandon, who is now a Fedora Ambassador (IRC log from the same date as above):

Ender2070So much for open source: http://www.go-mono.com/store/Oct 26 05:13
TechrightsBot-trTitle: Store - Mono .::. Size~: 27.8 KBOct 26 05:13
Ender2070"If you are the only individual planning to use Mono Tools for Visual Studio, then the Professional Edition is right for you. Your non-transferable license entitles you to one year of updates. $99 USD "Oct 26 05:14
-TRIdentica/#techrights-[diablod3/@diablod3] Mono goes closed source http://ur1.ca/25p4o #wtf #microsoft !fsfOct 26 05:16
TechrightsBot-trTitle:  Mechanical Keyboard Guide - Overclock.net - Overclocking.net .::. Size~: 167.66 KBOct 26 05:16
Ender2070SUSE Linux Enterprise Mono Extension is a .NET application framework that enables organizations to run Microsoft .NET-based server applications on Linux. Based on open source Mono technology and run in conjunction with SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, SUSE Linux Enterprise Mono Extension delivers all the performance, scalability and hardware support of the SUSE Linux Enterprise platform to the .NET applicationOct 26 05:17
Ender2070environment. $200 a yearOct 26 05:17
Ender2070I think there is a profit motive for pushing mono everywhereOct 26 05:17
Ender2070and its there for everyone to seeOct 26 05:17
Ender2070if people recommend other languages nobody is going to want to buy this from NovellOct 26 05:19
Ender2070no conspiracy theories requiredOct 26 05:19


We pointed this out many times before and it is clear that other people independently reach the same conclusion. When you support Mono you also support Novell/Microsoft and proprietary software. Mono is 'open' core, putting aside the API and patent issues.

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