Novell today launched Mono 1.0, an open source development platform that aims to simplify Linux- and cross-platform application programming. Novell calls Mono “extremely usable” and “commercial-grade,” and hopes the technology will help companies that are moving to Linux build their applications more easily.

Mono origins

The Mono Project was founded by former GNUmeric author and GNOME Project leader Miguel de Icaza, as a countermeasure to Microsoft's .Net initiative. de Icaza founded Mono while CTO of Helix Code, a Massachussetts based startup subsequently renamed “Ximian.” Ximian was acquired by Novell in August, 2003.

de Icaza, now a Novell VP of development, comments on the 1.0 launch:

“Even as Linux grows on enterprise desktops, developing applications for the Linux desktop has been challenging because existing tools were extremely technical and complex. Mono is an extremely usable, commercial-grade development platform for Linux desktops and servers with a complete set of tools and APIs. It's based on published standards and proven programming languages and libraries, and Mono's cross-platform capabilities also extend to applications for Microsoft Windows, Apple MacOS X, and other flavors of UNIX.”

Mono

Mono includes a C# compiler, a .Net-compatible runtime, and two stacks of application programming interfaces (API):

1. A “Mono” stack takes utmost advantage of Linux servers and desktops
2. a set of APIs compatible with the Microsoft .Net Framework 1.1 that provides support for ASP.Net, ADO.Net and several other components

The technology additionally provides a portable execution system that includes just-in-time (JIT), and pre-compilation support. Other features include:

• APIs for rich client, Web services, and server-side applications
  
• Cross-platform deployment capabilities supporting Linux, Solaris, MacOS X, Windows NT/XP, and various UNIX systems on a variety of architectures
  
• Tools facilitating creation of product APIs and software development kits (SDKs) that are language independent across multiple operating systems.
  
• The cross-platform Gtk# GUI programming library that allows developers to target Linux, Windows, and MacOS X with a single code base from any of the Mono compatible programming languages.
  
• Support for several languages such as VisualBasic, Python, JScript, and Java. Through the open source project iKVM, Mono also includes Java support

Mono testamonials

According to Novell, a Mono beta released on May 4 has been downloaded 50,000 times.

Novell says it uses Mono internally to develop and maintain several products, including iFolder and Zenworks. It calls Mono a “recommended platform” for building desktop applications for Linux.

“Mono allows us to easily create cross-platform management solutions and integrate Linux as a manageable server system into standard Microsoft networks,” said Matthias Bauer, head of development for Voelcker Informatik AG, a Berlin-based consulting company working with the City of Munich.

Availability

Mono 1.0 is available for download at Mono-Project, a new Website for Mono users (as opposed to developers) launched today along with Mono 1.0.

 
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