Mono, an open source implementation of the .Net Framework, is to be fitted with features from the C# 3.0 programming language, specifically LINQ (Language Integrated Query) functionality, said Miguel de Icaza, founder of Mono. "It means that you get a kind of strongly typed, SQL-like query system built right into the language," de Icaza said on Tuesday. LINQ for XML capabilities, for interacting with XML documen Mono, an open source implementation of the .Net Framework, is to be fitted with features from the C# 3.0 programming language, specifically LINQ (Language Integrated Query) functionality, said Miguel de Icaza, founder of Mono. “It means that you get a kind of strongly typed, SQL-like query system built right into the language,” de Icaza said on Tuesday. LINQ for XML capabilities, for interacting with XML documents, are expected for Mono in the short term but no timetable is set for implementing LINQ capabilities for SQL, for database activities.Addition of C# 3.0 capabilities to Mono are expected to take six months, with a trial version due in three months. Lambda expressions, which turn code into data, also are planned for Mono. Additionally, a Visual Basic compiler is planned. “What this allows [Visual Basic developers] to do is actually move their development over from Wndows to Linux,” said de Icaza.Mono is an implementation of .Net for Linux, Mac OS and Solaris. “Today, there’s a very large contingent of people that develop for Windows for .Net and they also want to support Linux and Mac OS and Solaris,” de Icaza said.“It’s probably today our largest user base,” he said. Technology Industry