Novell has released a roadmap for the Mono project, a community initiative to develop an open source version of Microsoft's .NET development platform. The roadmap specifies project milestones over the next two years. Also available is a discussion-level “Mono Hacking Roadmap” from Mono project originator Miguel de Icaza.

The complete Mono roadmap can be found go-mono.org Website. Highlights include:

• Mono 1.0 is the initial release, intended for developers to both learn Mono and to begin building .NET 1.1-compatible applications for Linux and UNIX. Anticipated release is second quarter of 2004.
• Mono 1.0 will ship with different library profiles, including compatibility with .NET 1.0, .NET 1.1 and the ECMA-specified profiles.
• Mono 1.0 features a code generator that can be used in just-in-time (JIT) or ahead-of-time (AOT) modes. The code generator supports x86- and PowerPC-based architectures. Support for other architectures is provided with an interpreter (Arm, Sparc, HPPA and s390).
• Upcoming Mono 1.2 will provide libraries for building GUI-based applications as well as initial support for the features in .NET 1.2.

According to Novell, the Mono roadmap outlines the early 2004 release of Mono 1.0 and subsequent versions, guiding corporate developers and independent software vendors (ISVs) who plan to build .NET-based applications on a broad range of platforms and operating systems.

Novell says that Mono, which has seen more than two years of engineering and testing, makes it far easier to build and deploy applications on Linux and UNIX. The project continues advancing to accommodate the evolution of Microsoft .NET, Linux, and GNOME desktop technologies, and the roadmap ensures that IT developers and ISVs can plan effectively and provide feedback along the way.

“Linux on the desktop is becoming a viable option for an increasing number of IT buyers,” said Chris Stone, Novell vice chairman – Office of the CEO. “To be successful, developers need a productive development environment, stable APIs, and a well-defined technology roadmap. Mono provides all of this, plus the benefits of .NET for Linux and UNIX.”

The Mono Hacking Roadmap, available here, discusses:

• Background
• Mono 1.0: missing functionality
• Alpha components
• New components: Whidbey and Longhorn features
• ASP.NET 2.0 plans
• Avalon plans
• Indigo Plans

Note: An extensive reading list on the Mono project can be found here.

 
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