Re: http://winetricks.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/src/install-gecko.sh also installs mono

[Hin-Tak Leung]

--- On Mon, 4/6/12, Max TenEyck Woodbury  wrote:
> On 06/04/2012 03:05 AM, Frédéric
> Delanoy wrote:
> > On Mon, Jun 4, 2012 at 8:35 AM, Dan Kegel
>
> wrote:
> > > On Sun, Jun 3, 2012 at 11:20 PM, Frédéric
>
> Delanoy
> > >
>
> wrote:
> > > > On Sun, Jun 3, 2012 at 7:02 PM, Dan Kegel
>
> wrote:
> > > > > http://winetricks.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/src/install-gecko.sh
>
> now
> > > > > also installs mono. ...
> > > >
> > > > Wouldn't it be better (and more acceptable for
>
> people
> > > > disliking/wanting to avoid mono) to
> > > > - keep install-gecko.sh as is
> > > > - create install-mono.sh
> > > > - create wine-install-addons.sh calling the
>
> former
> > > > ?
> > >
> > > The point of this script is to make life easier for
>
> me and
> > > for the average user.  It's not to make life
>
> easier for
> > > people who don't like mono, mostly because I doubt
> > > there are many of them.
> >
> > My comment was not only meant for "mono-haters", but it
>
> can also be
> > useful IMHO to split e.g. to limit download size.when
>
> one doesn't even
> > need mono, and it maybe clearer as well ("addons" is
>
> pretty generic).
> > Frédéric
>
> Actually, it really is the name that matters.  'mono'
> is a lightning
> rod for a lot of political history.  If you were to
> integrate the same
> functions into Wine itself, and hopefully avoid tripping
> over the
> stinking Microsoft patents, that set of problems can be
> avoided,
>
> A native MSWindows application that wants .net support would
> either
> connect to the installed dll that provides the required
> services or
> install such a dll.  It would know nothing about
> 'mono'.  It is only
> non-MSWindows platform programs that will try to link to
> the
> non-MSWinows libraries in 'mono'.
>
> So an MSWindows executable looking for .net support needs
> .net support,
> NOT mono.  We can and should provide such executables
> the services they
> need.  However we should NOT make it easy for programs
> from other
> platforms to fall into the stinking Microsoft Patent
> trap.  That
> gateway to hell is called 'mono' and we should NOT open it.

This is irrational bias against mono. The fact is that, since Vista, .Net Framework runtime is shipped as standard in windows. Therefore any windows application has a reasonable expectation of assuming .Net runtime to be around, and not prompt the user to go and download the .net runtime from microsoft. Athough some application does explicitly test for the presence of .net runtime and make the user go and download it from microsoft when it cannot detect such or when the version of net runtime is too low (i.e. if the user tries to install such software on XP).

Granted the authentic MS .net runtime can be installed and works well enough under wine; but would you rather the user goes and download genuine MS .net and install it on wine? If you say downloading .net runtime and using that on linux is preferable from your point of view, I have nothing more to say...