Hi Hunter, That's only partly true. Yes many apps written in C# .NET can and will run on Linux using Mono, but that largely depends on weather or not it was developed using cross-platform libraries or not. If the application uses a proprietary API such as Microsoft's XNA Framework or a Windows specific API like SlimDX there is no way to run the game on Linux because neither XNA or DirectX are available on Linux. It is a Windows specific technology, and therefore the game wouldn't be compatible with the Mono Framework on Linux and Mac OS.
Another issue you are overlooking is while the Mono Project does try to meet .NET 2.0 and .NET 3.0 standards it isn't fully compatible with something like .NET 4.0. Therefore If someone developed a game using Visual C# 2010 or the new Visual C# 2012 beta with .NET Framework 4.0 the developer would discover various libraries, classes, and functions are missing in Mono causing a serious compatibility issue. Therefore the safe way to develop cross-platform games or anything else in C# .NET is by developing the software with Monodevelop and compiling it with the open source cs compiler. That way it is sure to run on both commercial and open source .NET frameworks. Finally, Mono is not simply for console applications. Once you install the Mono Framework and associate *.exe files with it simply clicking on them in a file manager or creating a program launcher will launch the application. I've launched a number of apps from Gnome, Unity, etc this way so I know it can be done from the GUI. Plus Mono has a nice wrapper for GTK+ which means it is fairly simple and straight forward to create GUI applications that have the same look and feel as the rest of the Gnome apps that rely on GTK+. Cheers! On 7/29/12, Hunter Hoke <[email protected]> wrote: > Actually, using the Mono program, you can play any games for the .net > framework on linux, such as games written in c#.net. It is ran through > a console window, though. > > -- > Beware the media! > > --- > Gamers mailing list __ [email protected] > If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to > [email protected]. > You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at > http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. > All messages are archived and can be searched and read at > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]. > If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, > please send E-mail to [email protected]. > --- Gamers mailing list __ [email protected] If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to [email protected]. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to [email protected].
