Re:Open Microsoft (Score 1)

Sorry, it was too tempting !

I would turn the question around a different way:
- what does Microsoft get out of helping Mono ?

(remember, software engineers probably cost MS 200-300K per year, in terms of cost, not salary).

While it looks like they are partially serious about it, I have a nasty feeling (and again, only my opinion), that we're in the "embrace" period of Microsofts three point plan. Darn, I can't remember what the next two parts are ... i had it just a second ago, but i think the next parts are definitely not good.

Finally, on directions of Mono: I'm sure that Miguel's intentions are good but (i just had to dig up some Mark Twain here):

Half the results of a good intention are evil; half the results of an evil intention are good.

That works for both Mono and Microsoft. Only time will tell.

But I guess at the end of the day, the real benefit of Open Source is *choice*. ... and we still have it.

We can decided to use Mono, or we can choose not to.

Some people have already. And I truly believe that the work that Miguel and Novell are doing will entice more people to use it as a platform to program.

But we have to be a little bit cautious when dealing with the Beast (MS). Their track record isn't all that pretty ! ;-)