Moonlight

Moonlight
Moonlight
Type of	Web application
Developer	Xamarin , formerly Novell
Written on	C , C ++ , C #
operating system	Windows , Linux , Mac OS X
Latest version	5.0.1.1 ( May 23, 2017 )
Beta version	;
Test version	5.4.0.135 ( August 2, 2017 )
condition	development closed
License	Only LGPL 2 or commercial
Website	mono-project.com/Moonlig.....

Moonlight (from the English - “Moonlight”) is an open and free software implementation of the Microsoft Silverlight web application framework . Silverlight was originally developed by Microsoft . Moonlight was developed as part of the Mono project ^[3] . Moonlight 1.0 was released on January 20, 2009, and Moonlight 2 was released on December 17, 2009.

Content

1 Status and further development
2 Desktop Support
3 Microsoft Support
4 Codec Integration
5 Moonlight in other versions
6 notes
7 References

Status and Further Development

In an interview in early June 2007, Miguel de Icaza said that the team working on Mono was preparing to announce the availability of an alpha version in mid-June 2007, and Firefox support for Linux would appear by the end of the year ^[4] .

After 21 days of Mono team activity (including Chris Toschock , Larry Evin and Jeffrey Steadfast ), a public demo was shown at the Microsoft ReMIX conference in Paris , France on June 21, 2007 ^[5] ^[6] ^[7] ^[8] .

However, by September 2007, developers still needed to install and compile many Mono and Olive modules (an experimental Mono subproject to support .NET 3.0 ) from the Mono SVN repository to test Moonlight ^[9] . The Moonlight IDE, dubbed the Lunar Eclipse, is present in SVN for XAML design. It is expected that it will be included or ported to MonoDevelop as a future addition ^[10] . Moonlight uses Cairo to render graphics ^[11] .

At the moment, Moonlight is offered as a plugin for some versions of Firefox on some versions of Linux ^[12] . The plugin itself does not contain a set of media codecs, but when the Moonlight plugin detects available media data, it offers the user to download a free package of media codecs from Microsoft.

Moonlight 2.0 is generally consistent with the implementation of Silverlight 2.0. Participants of the Mono project on May 16, 2008 released an implementation of the Silverlight plugin that works on other platforms ^[13] ^[14] (such as Linux ) - Moonlight, however, it cannot be considered open or free software, since permission to use patents is granted only to recipients of code from Novell, and only to create plugins ^[15] . Moonlight 2.0 is in Preview 3 ^[16] . However, Microsoft supports the creation of alternative Silverlight implementations, as the agreement between Microsoft and Novell may indicate. However, the community’s interest in implementing Silverlight specifications is not very high, so Moonlight still does not support all the features of Silverlight 2.

The first completed version of Moonlight 1.0, supporting Silverlight 1.0, was released on January 20, 2009. Moonlight 2.0 was released on December 17, 2009. This release also contains some Silverlight 3 features, including an add-on media framework that allows Moonlight to work with plug-in open codecs such as Theora and Dirac ^[17] . A preliminary release of Moonlight 3.0 is scheduled for the first quarter of 2010, and the final version is scheduled for release in the third quarter of 2010. ^[eighteen]

Desktop Support

Moonlight can also be used outside the browser as a Gtk + widget. A number of Desklets were written using this new technology during the Novell Hack-week ^[19] .

Microsoft Support

Shortly after the first demonstration at MIX 07 in Paris, Microsoft began working with Novell to help create Moonlight ^[20] . Support includes exclusive access provided by Novell to the following Silverlight data: ^[21] :

Microsoft test suites for Silverlight,
Silverlight specification details beyond those available online
Free binary codecs for Windows Media Video and Audio , VC-1 and MP3 , as well as the upcoming H.264 and AAC , licensed only for use with Moonlight running in a web browser. Other possible decoders include GStreamer and FFmpeg (under development), but Novell will not support bundled versions of Moonlight with these libraries, as these decoders do not have the appropriate licensing to use proprietary encoding technologies.

Microsoft has released a limited public agreement to deny prosecution for infringement of its patents when using Moonlight. It concerns only the use of Moonlight as a plug-in in the browser, and only implementations that do not fall under the GPL3 license, and only if the Moonlight implementation was obtained from Novell. It is also worth noting that Microsoft may terminate these usage rights ^[22] .

Codec Integration

Despite the fact that Moonlight is open source software, the final version will only use binary audio and video codecs provided by Microsoft, which will be licensed for use only with Moonlight as a browser plug-in (see above). A Windows media package will not be delivered with the Moonlight plugin, but upon the first discovery of media content in Silverlight, the user will be able to download the package containing the codecs used in Silverlight directly from Microsoft.

Home-made versions can still use the FFmpeg library, and discussions are underway to add GStreamer support as an alternative to using Microsoft binary codecs for those who wish to use GStreamer instead, as well as for use outside the browser.

The chief architect of the Mono project, Miguel de Icaza, wrote on his blog that the Mono team prepared preliminary multimedia support in Moonlight using the LGPL- licensed FFmpeg engine, but it cannot distribute package versions using this library because of problems with licensing the FFmpeg codec to United States ^[21] ^[23] .

Moonlight in other versions

By the release of Moonlight 2, the agreement signed by Microsoft was updated to ensure that third-party suppliers can distribute Moonlight without fear of prosecuting their users for infringement of Microsoft patents ^[24] . This agreement can be found on the Microsoft website .

The new Microsoft agreement was criticized in thirteen different paragraphs by The Source's news and opinion website on FLOSS . ^[25] ^[26] The website boycotted Novell by stating that software including “Mono and Moonlight ... continues to split and divide the free software community.” ^[27] Kevin Kofler and Tom Colloway, representatives of the Fedora project, have publicly stated that the new agreement is “unacceptable” to their operating system, and that “it is still unacceptable on Fedora.” ^[28]

The version of Moonlight, which will be available from Novell, will have access to licensed media codecs provided free of charge by Microsoft.

Third-party Moonlight bundles will be able to play unlicensed media such as Vorbis, Theora and Ogg at the expense of Moonlight itself (and Silverlight), but several other options will be provided for playing other formats, primarily for licensed media through Moonlight:

Direct deliveries with licenses of media codec owners ( MPEG LA , Fraunhofer).
Deliveries as part of the Microsoft media package with a similar Novell distribution scheme
Connecting GStreamer or another commercially licensed codec to their Moonlight implementation.
Using a hardware-implemented VDPau type decoder.

At the PDC conference on October 13, 2008, Microsoft posted the 'XAML Dictionary for Silverlight' (Silverlight XAML Vocabulary) under the Microsoft Open Specification Promise ^[29] , moreover, as stated in a press release, “The XAML Dictionary for Silverlight released under the Microsoft Open Specification Promise will better enable third-party ISVs to create products that can read and create XAML for Silverlight. ” Since Moonlight is the basis of the XAML handler, this news only confirmed the words of the Debian wiki author who claimed that Moonlight is safe for their distribution (allowing each user to choose their own agreement with Microsoft and others regarding binary codecs) ^[30] .

Notes

↑ https://tirania.org/blog/archive/2011/Feb-16.html
↑ Foley, Mary-Jo Xamarin abandons its Silverlight for Linux technology (neopr.) . All About Microsoft . ZDNet. Date of treatment June 1, 2012. Archived on August 6, 2012.
↑ Moonlight (unopened) . Mono Team. Date of treatment September 1, 2007. Archived March 2, 2012.
↑ Dana Gardner. the FASTforward blog: Expect a June demo of Silverlight on Linux, sans browser (unspecified) . Date of treatment June 6, 2007. Archived March 2, 2012.
↑ Implementing Silverlight in 21 Days (Neopr.) . Miguel de Icaza. Date of treatment June 22, 2007. Archived March 2, 2012.
↑ Implementing Silverlight in 21 Days (Neopr.) . Jeffrey Stedfast. Date of treatment June 21, 2007. Archived March 2, 2012.
↑ moonlight (unspecified) . Chris Toshok Date of treatment June 21, 2007. Archived November 14, 2007.
↑ Mono Silverlight implementation emerges after epic hackathon (neopr.) . Ars Technica. Date of treatment June 22, 2007. Archived March 2, 2012.
↑ Moonlight: Getting started (unopened) . Mono Team. Date of treatment September 2, 2007. Archived March 2, 2012.
↑ Moonlight (unopened) . Archived March 2, 2012.
↑ Moonlight Notes
↑ Moonlight Supported Platforms (Neopr.) . mono-project.com. Date of treatment May 17, 2009. Archived March 2, 2012.
↑ Mono project will ensure Silverlight compatibility with other platforms (unspecified) (inaccessible link) . Date of treatment August 2, 2011. Archived March 8, 2013.
↑ First Moonlight Release
↑ Shining Some Light on Microsoft's Moonlight Covenant . Groklaw (May 28, 2008). Date of treatment October 6, 2008.
↑ Moonlight - Preview Download (unopened) (inaccessible link) . Date of treatment August 2, 2011. Archived on May 23, 2009.
↑ First Moonlight 2.0 Preview is Out (unopened) . Miguel de Icaza. Date of treatment May 4, 2009. Archived March 2, 2012.
↑ Moonlight 2 is now available (unopened) . The Silverlight Team blog (December 17, 2009). Archived March 2, 2012.
↑ Moonlight Desklets demo on YouTube (unspecified) . Mono Team. Date of treatment June 25, 2007.
↑ Foley, Mary Jo Microsoft officially 'extends support' for Novell's Silverlight Linux port (unspecified) . zdnet.com (September 25, 2007). Date of treatment October 13, 2007. Archived March 2, 2012.
↑ ¹ ² De Icaza, Miguel Microsoft / Novell Collaboration on Silverlight. (unspecified) (September 5, 2007). Date of treatment October 13, 2007. Archived February 22, 2012.
↑ Covenant to Downstream Recipients of Moonlight - Microsoft & Novell Interoperability Collaboration (neopr.) . Microsoft (September 28, 2007). - “ “ Downstream Recipient ”means an entity or individual that uses for its intended purpose a Moonlight Implementation obtained directly from Novell or through an Intermediate Recipient ... Microsoft reserves the right to update (including discontinue) the foregoing covenant ...“ Moonlight Implementation ”means only those specific portions of Moonlight 1.0 or Moonlight 1.1 that run only as a plug-in to a browser on a Personal Computer and are not licensed under GPLv3 or a Similar License. ". Date of treatment March 8, 2008. Archived March 2, 2012.
↑ Ramji, Sam The Novell-Microsoft Wheeler Dealers Speak (Neopr.) (September 5, 2007). - " After a great deal of work between the Moonlight and .NET teams, we're ready to formally announce that we (Microsoft and Novell) will be bringing Silverlight to Linux (Sam Ramji is Director of Microsoft's Open Source Software Lab)." Date of treatment October 13, 2007. Archived March 2, 2012.
↑ Michael de Icaza. Releasing Moonlight 2, Roadmap to Moonlight 3 and 4 (Neopr.) (December 17, 2009). Date of treatment December 18, 2009. Archived March 2, 2012.
↑ Jason Melton. 10 Problems with the New Moonlight Covenant (Neopr.) . The Source (December 23, 2009). Date of treatment January 11, 2010. Archived March 2, 2012.
↑ Jason Melton. More on the Moonlight Covenant (Neopr.) . The Source (December 28, 2009). Date of treatment January 11, 2010. Archived March 2, 2012.
↑ Reactions to Microsoft's Novell Software Inside GNU / Linux (Neopr.) . Boycott Novell (December 26, 2009). Date of treatment January 11, 2010. Archived March 2, 2012.
↑ Tom Callaway. Re: New covenant published (neopr.) . gmane.linux.redhat.fedora.devel (December 23, 2009). Date of treatment January 11, 2010. Archived March 2, 2012.
↑ Microsoft Releases Silverlight 2, Already Reaching One in Four Consumers Worldwide (Neopr.) . Microsoft (October 13, 2008). Date of treatment October 13, 2008. Archived March 2, 2012.
↑ Moonlight for Debian (unspecified) . Debian Wiki. - “Moonlight 1.0 is essentially an XAML renderer with codec support. All plugin logic is handled by the browser's Javascript engine. XAML is covered by an irrevocable patent grant from Microsoft, as shown here . ” Archived March 2, 2012.

Links

Sites and Resources

news

Articles

'Moonlight' makes progress on Silverlight for Linux
Moonlight 1.0 Media Stack - Miguel de Icaz Blog Article
Alpha version of Moonlight 3.0 and future plans (Russian)

[_51e9b20b9537c284-1] ttps://tirania.org/blog/archive/2011/Feb-16.html

[Xamarin_abandons_Moonlight-2] Foley, Mary-Jo Xamarin abandons its Silverlight for Linux technology (neopr.) . All About Microsoft . ZDNet. Date of treatment June 1, 2012. Archived on August 6, 2012.

[3] Moonlight (unopened) . Mono Team. Date of treatment September 1, 2007. Archived March 2, 2012.

[4] Dana Gardner. the FASTforward blog: Expect a June demo of Silverlight on Linux, sans browser (unspecified) . Date of treatment June 6, 2007. Archived March 2, 2012.

[5] Implementing Silverlight in 21 Days (Neopr.) . Miguel de Icaza. Date of treatment June 22, 2007. Archived March 2, 2012.

[6] Implementing Silverlight in 21 Days (Neopr.) . Jeffrey Stedfast. Date of treatment June 21, 2007. Archived March 2, 2012.

[7] t (unspecified) . Chris Toshok Date of treatment June 21, 2007. Archived November 14, 2007.

[8] Mono Silverlight implementation emerges after epic hackathon (neopr.) . Ars Technica. Date of treatment June 22, 2007. Archived March 2, 2012.

[status-9] Moonlight: Getting started (unopened) . Mono Team. Date of treatment September 2, 2007. Archived March 2, 2012.

[10] Moonlight (unopened) . Archived March 2, 2012.

[mainpage-11] Moonlight Notes

[12] Moonlight Supported Platforms (Neopr.) . mono-project.com. Date of treatment May 17, 2009. Archived March 2, 2012.

[13] Mono project will ensure Silverlight compatibility with other platforms (unspecified) (inaccessible link) . Date of treatment August 2, 2011. Archived March 8, 2013.

[14] First Moonlight Release

[15] Shining Some Light on Microsoft's Moonlight Covenant . Groklaw (May 28, 2008). Date of treatment October 6, 2008.

[16] Moonlight - Preview Download (unopened) (inaccessible link) . Date of treatment August 2, 2011. Archived on May 23, 2009.

[17] First Moonlight 2.0 Preview is Out (unopened) . Miguel de Icaza. Date of treatment May 4, 2009. Archived March 2, 2012.

[18] Moonlight 2 is now available (unopened) . The Silverlight Team blog (December 17, 2009). Archived March 2, 2012.

[19] Moonlight Desklets demo on YouTube (unspecified) . Mono Team. Date of treatment June 25, 2007.

[20] Foley, Mary Jo Microsoft officially 'extends support' for Novell's Silverlight Linux port (unspecified) . zdnet.com (September 25, 2007). Date of treatment October 13, 2007. Archived March 2, 2012.

[icaza0905-21] ¹ ² De Icaza, Miguel Microsoft / Novell Collaboration on Silverlight. (unspecified) (September 5, 2007). Date of treatment October 13, 2007. Archived February 22, 2012.

[22] Covenant to Downstream Recipients of Moonlight - Microsoft & Novell Interoperability Collaboration (neopr.) . Microsoft (September 28, 2007). - “ “ Downstream Recipient ”means an entity or individual that uses for its intended purpose a Moonlight Implementation obtained directly from Novell or through an Intermediate Recipient ... Microsoft reserves the right to update (including discontinue) the foregoing covenant ...“ Moonlight Implementation ”means only those specific portions of Moonlight 1.0 or Moonlight 1.1 that run only as a plug-in to a browser on a Personal Computer and are not licensed under GPLv3 or a Similar License. ". Date of treatment March 8, 2008. Archived March 2, 2012.

[23] Ramji, Sam The Novell-Microsoft Wheeler Dealers Speak (Neopr.) (September 5, 2007). - " After a great deal of work between the Moonlight and .NET teams, we're ready to formally announce that we (Microsoft and Novell) will be bringing Silverlight to Linux (Sam Ramji is Director of Microsoft's Open Source Software Lab)." Date of treatment October 13, 2007. Archived March 2, 2012.

[24] Michael de Icaza. Releasing Moonlight 2, Roadmap to Moonlight 3 and 4 (Neopr.) (December 17, 2009). Date of treatment December 18, 2009. Archived March 2, 2012.

[25] Jason Melton. 10 Problems with the New Moonlight Covenant (Neopr.) . The Source (December 23, 2009). Date of treatment January 11, 2010. Archived March 2, 2012.

[26] Jason Melton. More on the Moonlight Covenant (Neopr.) . The Source (December 28, 2009). Date of treatment January 11, 2010. Archived March 2, 2012.

[27] Reactions to Microsoft's Novell Software Inside GNU / Linux (Neopr.) . Boycott Novell (December 26, 2009). Date of treatment January 11, 2010. Archived March 2, 2012.

[28] Tom Callaway. Re: New covenant published (neopr.) . gmane.linux.redhat.fedora.devel (December 23, 2009). Date of treatment January 11, 2010. Archived March 2, 2012.

[29] Microsoft Releases Silverlight 2, Already Reaching One in Four Consumers Worldwide (Neopr.) . Microsoft (October 13, 2008). Date of treatment October 13, 2008. Archived March 2, 2012.

[30] Moonlight for Debian (unspecified) . Debian Wiki. - “Moonlight 1.0 is essentially an XAML renderer with codec support. All plugin logic is handled by the browser's Javascript engine. XAML is covered by an irrevocable patent grant from Microsoft, as shown here . ” Archived March 2, 2012.