Microsoft is allowing open source developers to create versions
of the .net framework and C# programming language without risking a
patent dispute.
The company's
Community
Promise (CP), which allows developers to use Microsoft
application programming interfaces and specifications, now
explicitly covers open source implementations.
But the CP only covers full implementations of MS
specifications, Microsoft said.
The Mono project, supported by Novell is lilely to be one of the
big beneficiaries. Mono is an open source, UNIX version of the
Microsoft .nET development platform. IMono allows UNIX developers
to build and deploy cross-platform .net Applications.