>>chop
>>
>>>>Ask MS to forward you a copy of said cross license so you can check for yourself if there is a indemnitiy for products developed while under the protection of the cross license which covers the case of non-renewal or onesided retraction. Then calculate the odds of it being weasel safe. Even J++ was not killed, it was put on back tracks - it even got a DotNet-Implementation for a couple of years. MS protected the early customers (last century...) pretty well (I had implemented a few things in it, and at that time it was among the best of breed for back-then java). This would "only" result in a shakedown of a sum vfp, IPy and IRuby could be developed for a couple of dozen years <bg>.
>>>>
>>>>my 0.00000000000000000000000000000001 EUR [IANAL]
>>>>
>>>>thomas
>>>
>>>In reality I do not care as I do not develop nor have any plans to develop with .NOT. That being said, my reply is merely one of curiosity more than anything else and really did not deserve the response I received for asking a question.
>>
>>Bill,
>>
>>From one Mainer to another, I think you are overreacting to Thomas's response. It seems fairly benign to me. Trust me, he is one of the nicest and most knowledgeable people here. Some of the stuff he knows is so far over my head I can barely see it, like a balloon launch 5 minutes in. (Do they still do that one in Lewiston?) If he came across as gruff it was only stating the facts as he understands them.
>>
>>Best,
>>
>>Mike (Solon 1957-1963, Bangor 1963-1973, Cape Elizabeth 1973-1975)
>
>Sorry, perhaps I was a bit harsh but the question still stands; Could M$ be next if Oracle decides to go after .NET?

I seriously doubt Oracle's ability to swallow Microsoft.

Are you from Maine or "from away"?