Originally posted by uid313
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The second reason why Microsoft has no problem with Mono is that it can only increase the pool of developers with C# skills, as well as increase the amount of environments existing C# programmers can apply their skills to. Microsoft themselves have used Monodroid to create iOS applications because they after all have a lot more C# programmers inhouse than they have Objective-C programmers. In the meantime, I get to work on fun programs on my favourite platform in my spare time, while still honing skills that my new employer appreciates. (Like a lot of other people, I will be working in a Windows-dominated workplace.)
As for the age old concern that Microsoft has some sinister plan to sue everybody using it, I simply don't believe it. To begin with, they long ago made a promise not sue like Oracle just did over Java, and they committed C# to the ECMA, which was never done with Java. Beyond that, even if they were two-timing doublecrossing bastards, the Oracle v. Google lawsuit has just set a precedent quite explicitly stating that they would lose if they tried it. On top of that, they have used Mono for their own products, and as we now see, even sponsored a hackfest.
So yes, Microsoft is a big multinational company whose main goal is to make more money. But being friendly with Mono can only help them.
Before I ventured into the whole "making open source programs with the language everyone loves to hate" gig, I was aware of the concerns around it. So I checked it out, looked at what Mono proponents had to say and what detractors had to say. When it comes down to it, Mono proponents really just had better, more reasonable arguments for why there is no danger. I'm not saying that everyone should use C# for everything, but I find it to be a very comfortable language to use for a lot of things. When everything else is equal (and it really is), it is a matter of personal tastes regarding what language you like to work with.
Edit: And also what directhex said.
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