MonoTouch lets .Net coders build iPhone apps

Novell on Monday introduced MonoTouch 1.0, a development framework for Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch that uses Microsoft's .Net with C# and other programming languages.

The MonoTouch framework, available on paid-subscription only, requires Apple's own software development kit and runs solely on Macintosh hardware.

"The vast majority of Windows-centric developers, ISVs, and IT organizations have chosen the C# language and .Net for development," said Miguel de Icaza, Mono project founder and Developer Platform vice president at Novell, in a statement.

"As such, we have seen tremendous demand for tools to build .Net-based iPhone applications."

To date, developers have had to use JavaScript or Apple's Objective-C programming languages to build applications for the iPhone.

MonoTouch supports most .Net functions, with some differences due to the different security model of the iPhone. There is no support currently for Silverlight or Moonlight, the media delivery and scripting functions of .Net.

The iPhone developer license forbids scripting engines or just-in-time (JIT) compilers, which .Net needs to run code.

"As a result, the world of iPhone applications had been previously closed to .Net and Mono developers. Developers can now use MonoTouch while fully complying with these license terms because MonoTouch delivers only native code," Novell said in a statement.

Reaction from developers has been mixed, with many commenting that the Mac-only, paid-for approach is disappointing, given that MonoTouch is built on the cross-platform, open-source Mono.

Zef Hemel, a researcher at the Delft University of Technology, said via Twitter: "I was excited about MonoTouch coming out to develop iPhone apps on Mono, but now that I see the pricing ($399 to $999) I'm not."

MonoTouch costs $399 per year for an individual license, $999 per developer for an enterprise license, or $3,999 for five enterprise licenses. An evaluation version will be made available later this week, de Icaza said.

Rupert Goodwins of ZDNet UK reported from London.

[yacahuma]

Discusting!!!, It is cheaper to just buy a new Mac.

[damiandennison]

This is Novell's biggest problem they just do not know how to price their products. They have great products and ideas but are prices way too high and as a result causes them to fail.

[blakestar]

Sounds like it might be cheaper to just learn Objective-C and/or Java.

[Dalkorian]

From the article above, "The iPhone developer license forbids scripting engines or just-in-time (JIT) compilers ..." I think that leaves Java out of it too, does it not?

Personally, I think it's stupid to make it easier for M$ API monkeys to regurgitate horrible code for the iPhone, but at least they're getting raped for the privilege. Maybe that will be enough to keep them away.

[blozzo]

There is horrible code written by everyone not just as you put it M$ API monkeys. I have seen horrible code all over the place php, asp, c# ,c, javascript, SQL (oracle, ms , and mysql). The list can go on. I am also sure there are horrible Iphone apps written as well.

[Jeff Putz]

Agreed that the pricing is all wrong. I was in on the beta, and while it's an excellent wrapper around the hideously backward stepping Objective-C, the tools aren't that robust.

[abubakarx]

paid-subscription only? What happened to the open source company ?

[Dalkorian]

Didn't Novell shack up with the evil empire (M$)? You don't escape the ways of the emperor by walking into the arms of Darth Vader.

[MadLyb]

@Dalkorian

Actually, I can get Visual Studio cheaper than Monotouch, so chalk this one all up to Novell.

[MadLyb]

"The MonoTouch framework, available on paid-subscription only, requires Apple's own software development kit and runs solely on Macintosh hardware. "

So, I still have buy a Mac, get Apple's SDK *and* pay Novell for Monotouch?

This is better how?