Ximian and .NET

We began researching .NET last year.
Working from the public ECMA specifications.
Soup system released in April, 2001.
A SOAP implementation for C and GNOME.

We wanted to get the benefits of .NET
Advanced platform for end-user application development.
Multiple language support.
Interoperability (SOAP, .NET platform).
Courting the affections of Windows ISVs.
".NET is too important to be controlled by Microsoft."

Initial compiler started in February.