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Novell on Thursday released the first beta version of an open-source development platform that allows developers to create Microsoft .NET applications for other operating systems.
The Mono 1.0 beta release comes out of the Mono project, started in 2001 to create an open-source implementation of the .NET Framework. Novell Inc., with its purchase last year of Ximian Inc., also acquired the Mono project. Ximian co-founder Miguel de Icaza continues to lead it.
A full release of Mono 1.0 is planned for late June, following a second beta that should start in early June, said Novell spokesman Kevan Barney.
The Mono project has pushed back the date for releasing a full version of the development platform, most recently delaying into this year its plans for a release by the end of 2003.
The project had released multiple portions of Mono code, but the beta marks the first time that the various modules have been packaged into a version easily accessible for application developers, Barney said.
The beta of Mono 1.0 supports the .NET Framework Version 1.1 and provides .NET-compliant components such as a C# compiler, a Common Language Runtime compiler and a suite of class libraries. It allows developers to write rich clients, Web services and server-based applications that can be deployed across the Linux, Novell NetWare, Mac and Windows operating systems.
Mono 1.0 Beta 1 is available as a free download at the Mono project Web site.