Linux, C# and the .Net framework

When I first heard about C# a few years back, my first thought was okay, MS is just going trying to change C++ to a proprietary version of their own like they did to Java. So, natrually, avoided it like the plague.

Recently, a co-worker got MS Visual Studio.Net and explained to me many of the niceties of C#. First and foremost, showing me it is not a "MS flavored" version of C++, but a totally new language.

Then recently I've heard that MS has relinquised control to make it an open standard so that it won't be (for now anyway) "MS flavored".

So, recently, I bought MS Visual Studio.Net myself and I am in the middle of trying to learn C# right now. I like it, it seems like a great language, taking nice features from many other languages to make it very versatile.

However, I question that even if it is an "open standard", is not still just a Microsoft thing? It seems VERY tied to the .NET framework. Much of its classes and power are only possible because (and through) the .Net framework. So, is it 100% a Microsoft thing? Is there, or even could there be a Linux, Solaris, Unix version?

Although, I like the language itself, I am questioning Microsoft's "good gesture" of "letting" it become an open standard. What does it matter if its an open standard, if it can only run on MS Windows (with .Net framework) anyway?

What are your thoughts?

The .NET framework is already available on Linux in two forms. First is hte Rotor project which is headed by Microsoft. This is the standard version of .NET which was originally made available to WinXP and FreeBSD. Later someon emanaged to port it to Linux.

Also check out the Mono project. This is a completely open source .NET Framework which is designed to be multiplatform. This project is very far along and should be completed in the near future.

www.go-mono.com

I had similar feelings as you when I first started using C#. Now I use it for most of my projects.