Re: GNOME dependent on Mono

["John (J5) Palmieri" <johnp redhat com>]

On Wed, 2007-11-28 at 20:03 -0500, Richard Stallman wrote:
> I read http://boycottnovell.com/2007/11/05/gnome-mono-yelp/ with
> great concern.
> 
> Since I am not an expert, I cannot tell on my own if that description
> of the situation is accurate.  If part of it is not accurate, I hope
> someone will explain.  However, if it is accurate, GNOME has a serious
> problem.
> 
> I have always supported the development of free platforms for C#, just
> as I've supported the development of free platforms for any language
> that users use.  I also wouldn't argue that people should not use C#
> with a free platform for secondary applications.
> 
> However, making GNOME depend on Mono is running a grave risk, and a
> grave mistake.  If the article accurately describes the situation, I
> think we need to launch a high-priority project to reimplement Yelp in
> some other language.
> 
> The use of code from Firefox in a way that might cause trademark
> problems is also a serious issue.  The solution might not be difficult
> -- it may be enough to remove the trademark in the sources used by
> GNOME wherever that is necessary -- but the solution does need to be
> carried out.
> 
> The nontechnical impact of these issues vastly exceeds the technical
> impact, so considering them only in technical terms is fundamentally
> misguided.  In this sort of decision, the Foundation should intervene
> and decide based on the nontechnical issues at stake.  If those who
> work for Novell tell us not to worry, we should not listen to them.

I would also like to ease your mind and say the Release Team would take
great exception to a core GNOME module all of a sudden sprouting hard
dependencies.  Some modules are more scrutinized than other, Yelp would
be one of them.  Novell has also been very sensitive to the Mono issue
in the past.  They still champion it but have done things like create C
glue libraries and refrain from making their apps like Evolution depend
on Mono.

-- 
John (J5) Palmieri <johnp redhat com>