>Looks like we are going to have to agree to disagree on this point. I want choice within the language.

Syntax is superficial.

>There aren't too many people talking about cross platform these days.

Huh? Well, there's SUN, IBM, MS, and Oracle. Who isn't talking cross platform? Sun and Oracle are obvious ones. And didn't IBM and MS colaborate on a SOAP protocall, one that isn't client specific. And what about all those Linux developers MS has been hiring, do you not believe MS is looking at Linux?

>Instead of porting your language/application/whatever to another OS, design to a common runtime environment.

And at the same time spill out $$$ for MS?

>Face it, Linux isn't a contender on the desktop.

Yep, we all know how steady the computer industry is... if its not cool today, it won't go anywhere tomarrow. *g* How long has SGML been around for before XML blew up out of it?

I mean, Gates' DID miss the whole Internet thing (till he came back with a vengence), I'm sure he's learned not to understate somethign like that.