Microsoft says .NET on Android is safe, no litigation like Oracle

Late last month DeveloperFusion reported on MonoDroid, an open-source initiative backed by Novell to bring .NET to the Android mobile operating system. This is a sister project to MonoTouch, which brought .NET development to iOS devices.

Earlier this month, we also reported that Oracle had brought a lawsuit against Google relating to their use of Java in the Android operating system. Well now, Microsoft have weighed in to the battle.

“The type of action Oracle is taking against Google over Java is not going to happen,” said Tom Hanrahan of Microsoft’s Open Source Technology Centre. “If a .NET port to Android was through Mono it would fall under [the Microsoft Community Promise] Agreement”.

The Microsoft Community Promise is a license which allows Miguel de Icaza – founder of the Mono project – and its developers access to the .NET runtime and the C# specifications for the purpose of Mono development.

However, the Free Software Foundation has criticised the Community Promise for not protecting implementations against litigation similar to that which Oracle has brought against Google for their Dalkvik Java VM that is integrated in Android.

For more on Microsoft’s announcement check out the TechWorld Austraila post, and find out more about Oracle vs Google at Ars Technica.

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