Mono License changes over time and the risks this is presenting.
http://www.mono-project.com/Licensing
Mono engine was pure GPL and Class libraries was LGPL at one point.
These days the Mono engine is hybred MIT & GPL and the class libraries is MIT.
This trend is something to be worried about. MIT does not provide any
patent protection. Even that items like Tomboy are LGPL in there code
they may not breach any patents. The important thing to audit is the
classes Tomboy depends on to operate. I suspect lot of .net
applications will fail inspection.
In fact the head of Microsoft has said That only Novell and other
people who have signed agreements is protected. So all the class
libraries of mono need to move to the restricted section. Hopefully
this will push the .Net wanting people to get clarification of the
patent status.
There is a risk that Novell know something we don't and that is the
reason why mono engine has moved to hybred. MIT form still can be
shipped as source even with a patent requirement to use. Answer to
this patent status need to be got or it not trusted.
Warning also needs to be place on the main mono engine without patent
status cleared will have to be moved as well.
Peter Dolding
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