Xamarin
Encyclopedia
Xamarin is a company created in May 2011 by the engineers that created Mono
, MonoTouch and Mono for Android which are cross-platform implementations of the Common Language Infrastructure
(CLI) and Common Language Specifications (often called Microsoft .NET).
. Miguel de Icaza
of Ximian
began investigating whether a Linux
version was feasible. The Mono open source project was launched on July 19, 2001. Ximian was bought by Novell
on August 4, 2003.
After the acquisition of Novell
by Attachmate
in April 2011, Attachmate announced hundreds of layoffs for the Novell workforce, including Mono developers, putting the future of Mono in question.
On May 16, Miguel De Icaza announced on his blog that Mono will be developed and supported by Xamarin, which plans to release a new suite of mobile products. According to De Icaza, at least part of the original Mono team has moved to the new company.
After this announcement, the future of the project was questioned, MonoTouch and Mono for Android being in direct competition with the existing commercial offerings now owned by Attachmate
, and considering that the Xamarin team would have difficulties to prove that they did not use technologies they previously developed when they were employed by Novell
for the same work. However, in July 2011, Novell, now a subsidiary of Attachmate, and Xamarin, announced that it granted a perpetual license to Xamarin for Mono
, MonoTouch and Mono for Android, which took officially the stewardship of the project.
Mono (software)
Mono, pronounced , is a free and open source project led by Xamarin to create an Ecma standard compliant .NET-compatible set of tools including, among others, a C# compiler and a Common Language Runtime....
, MonoTouch and Mono for Android which are cross-platform implementations of the Common Language Infrastructure
Common Language Infrastructure
The Common Language Infrastructure is an open specification developed by Microsoft and standardized by ISO and ECMA that describes the executable code and runtime environment that form the core of the Microsoft .NET Framework and the free and open source implementations Mono and Portable.NET...
(CLI) and Common Language Specifications (often called Microsoft .NET).
History
In June 2000, Microsoft first announced their .NET Framework.NET Framework
The .NET Framework is a software framework that runs primarily on Microsoft Windows. It includes a large library and supports several programming languages which allows language interoperability...
. Miguel de Icaza
Miguel de Icaza
Miguel de Icaza is a Mexican free software programmer, best known for starting the GNOME and Mono projects.-Early years:Miguel de Icaza was born in Mexico City and studied at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de México but never received a degree. He came from a family of scientists in which his...
of Ximian
Ximian
Ximian was a company that provided free software desktop applications for Linux and Unix based on the GNOME platform. Ximian was founded by Miguel de Icaza and Nat Friedman in October, 1999, and was bought by Novell on August 4, 2003...
began investigating whether a Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
version was feasible. The Mono open source project was launched on July 19, 2001. Ximian was bought by Novell
Novell
Novell, Inc. is a multinational software and services company. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Attachmate Group. It specializes in network operating systems, such as Novell NetWare; systems management solutions, such as Novell ZENworks; and collaboration solutions, such as Novell Groupwise...
on August 4, 2003.
After the acquisition of Novell
Novell
Novell, Inc. is a multinational software and services company. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Attachmate Group. It specializes in network operating systems, such as Novell NetWare; systems management solutions, such as Novell ZENworks; and collaboration solutions, such as Novell Groupwise...
by Attachmate
Attachmate
Attachmate Corporation is a software company owned by an investment group led by Francisco Partners, Golden Gate Capital, and Thoma Cressey Bravo. Attachmate focuses on terminal emulation, legacy modernization, managed file transfer, and enterprise fraud management software. Attachmate Corporation...
in April 2011, Attachmate announced hundreds of layoffs for the Novell workforce, including Mono developers, putting the future of Mono in question.
On May 16, Miguel De Icaza announced on his blog that Mono will be developed and supported by Xamarin, which plans to release a new suite of mobile products. According to De Icaza, at least part of the original Mono team has moved to the new company.
After this announcement, the future of the project was questioned, MonoTouch and Mono for Android being in direct competition with the existing commercial offerings now owned by Attachmate
Attachmate
Attachmate Corporation is a software company owned by an investment group led by Francisco Partners, Golden Gate Capital, and Thoma Cressey Bravo. Attachmate focuses on terminal emulation, legacy modernization, managed file transfer, and enterprise fraud management software. Attachmate Corporation...
, and considering that the Xamarin team would have difficulties to prove that they did not use technologies they previously developed when they were employed by Novell
Novell
Novell, Inc. is a multinational software and services company. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Attachmate Group. It specializes in network operating systems, such as Novell NetWare; systems management solutions, such as Novell ZENworks; and collaboration solutions, such as Novell Groupwise...
for the same work. However, in July 2011, Novell, now a subsidiary of Attachmate, and Xamarin, announced that it granted a perpetual license to Xamarin for Mono
Mono (software)
Mono, pronounced , is a free and open source project led by Xamarin to create an Ecma standard compliant .NET-compatible set of tools including, among others, a C# compiler and a Common Language Runtime....
, MonoTouch and Mono for Android, which took officially the stewardship of the project.