The odd thing about the post if that it focuses on C#, but none of the other languages that the the Mono CLR supports. Second, he goes on to state that “If we lose the use of C#, we will lose them [the applications] too.” Given that C# is an ECMA standard (as is the CLR itself), I think the conerns about not being able use C# are unwarrented. If we have to worry that the ECMA would allow Microsoft to pull rank on C#, then web developers should be rethinking thier use of JavaScript.

But the wierd thing is that Stallman doesn’t make the same point about any other langauage that the Mono CLR supports. For example, if Tomboy were written in the Boo programming language but remain on the Mono CLR, would evertyhing be ok? Why is there such a profound hatred of C# and not other lanagues supported by the CLR? Why not come out against the use CIL? Or is Stallman just not making his point clear enough?

As somone who uses Ubuntu 9.0.4 on a daily basis, I can apprciate what Mono has to offer from an end user perspecitive. I’m a HUGE fan of GnomeDo, which has turned out to be a better implementation of Quicksilver than Quicksilver. Then of course there’s Banshee, which is blosoming into an excellent media player. And also there F-Spot for photo management. I could go on, but the point is here that there are a lot of really great applications for GNOME that happen to be built on Mono.

Overall, I find that the post is weak on sound technical and legal arguments and high as a kite on FUD. Where’s the meat? Specifically, what can Microsoft go after that’s not GNOME if people start rewriting Mono applications in C++? Jo Shields has a lengthy, but excellent, post called Why Mono Doesn’t Suck. Jo’s post makes a lot of really good points about Mono if you don’t have a short attention span.

In the end, i think that a Mono is ultimately a good thing for Linux on the desktop. Anything that gives developers better productivity, and choice is a good. Part of being free is being able to make a choice: we should be free to choose whether or not we actually want to use applications developed with Mono.