So as an Open source advocate and a ruby developer I feel like I get asked a lot how I feel about using Ruby to develop for the CLR.

There are 2 parts to developing applications for me. The first is that I must be able to run the application where I want to. Any platform I choose. And the second one, is no less important, I must be able to develop those applications in the manner and platform that I choose.

Microsoft is working hard to make sure that the new applications run cross-platform ( at least windows and mac) and the mono project has actually one-upped MS by ensuring that they run apps on Linux better than they run on the Mac. However as the tools required to build these applications still require windows as the OS, these applications do not currently meet my needs. And as such are not something I am really concerned with. When Microsoft announces that I can build applications on Mac and Linux and deploy them to the platform of choice, then they may have one me back. But they have no reason to do that, and I have no expectations.

“But simeon, flex and air don’t run on Linux either!” I knew that was coming. But the truth is that they run on windows and mac now, and flex applications can run on Linux in the browser just fine. Adobe has announced that past the 1.0 AIR will be supported on Linux as well. So I know its in the plans. As for Flex Builder and the tools required? Well they already run on Windows Mac and [Linux](http://blog.simb.net/articles/2007/08/09/developing-flex-applications-on-linux) so they plan to and are already meeting my requirements.