Interesting rant about Mono

I have just recently made the "jump" to Ubuntu (a Linux distribution for PCs of all sizes). First of all, it's great, and for most users, it does nearly everything you might want. That's right, for all but a few that must use Microsoft applications like Office, or that must use programs like Quicken, it has everything you need to be productive. This is especially true if all you do is surf the web, email, and maybe write a term paper or two. For these it has Firefox, Thunderbird, and Open Office. All three are very good, and I use them all. (And all are included in the Ubuntu distro download.)

Mono is a development framework based on Microsoft .NET, and has sparked a rather rabid religious war on the Linux forums. Everyone has an opinion, it seems, and folks on both sides are calling for the death and expulsion of anyone who disagrees with them. Well, maybe not literal death, but certainly expulsion. Yes, like the war between religion and atheism, Mono advocates are the atheists to the Linux "purists." The spawn of Satan that must be eliminated at all costs.

So, when I read this post discussing why Mono really isn't evil, I thought of religious wars.

My opinion of Mono is that it's arguably based on the standards that Microsoft sought when they published .NET. Steve Ballmer's idiotic comments aside (because he really is a huge, smelly asshole), if MS didn't want Mono around, they could have/should have taken steps to prohibit its development. Such as not having made the .NET CLR architecture a standard. *sigh*

Nothing will get the Linux homos more riled than something with the taint of Microsoft. Not even calling them homos will do that (and I'm smiling when I say that, fellas). Java ain't as great as everyone says it is, and there needs to be an alternative. If Mono provides the ability to develop quality software for distros like Ubuntu, then as a user I'm all for it. Shoot, being technical means I might also do some Linux/KBE development myself. Could be fun.