5 ms·

It's unfortunate that this wasn't build with a cross-platform core, but native, first class UIs for each respective platform. Edit: I realized this was worded

It's unfortunate that this wasn't build with a cross-platform core, but native, first class UIs for each respective platform. Edit: I realized this was worded very badly. I’m saying I wish this was written with a cross platform core, and native, platform specific UIs for each respective platform. For example, MS Office is written this way.

reacharavindh 8y ago
?! I would've said the same thing with joy! From the title I was immediately hoping that this was not yet another bloated electron thing.
- vijaybritto 8y ago
  But how do you think this is bloat?
  - pjmlp 8y ago
    I don't need yet another Chrome installation on my PC, one is enough.
- blkhp19 8y ago
  I’m with you. See my edit, and sorry for the confusing wording. It’s late
DC-3 8y ago
Native UIs are how you get fast and responsive applications that don't chew up memory and CPU.
red_admiral 8y ago
I'd personally think "amazing" is a better adjective than "unfortunate" here - the value of an e-mail client, at least to me, lies almost entirely in its user interface. If using a native stack can squeeze out a few more tidbits of usability here and there, that's a good job well done. There's still a lot of value in native if it's done properly. Electron and similar technologies are in my opinion not quite at the point where they can compete with the best that native platforms can offer. I'm sure that will change one day, but we're not there yet. GTK integration on windows and mac is also less than perfect - I've been using geany on multiple platforms a lot recently and it's a great tool, but there's small annoyances like that the "swipe to scroll" speed varies massively between it and Notepad++.
- nasredin 8y ago
  Notepad++ is also portable (can run from USB drive). Electron apps' installation process is just madness. It breaks every convention. You can't even choose the install path FFS! I think of Electron apps as BonziBuddy for today's hipsters.
- blkhp19 8y ago
  Whoops, see my edit. We’re totally advocating for the same thing - my wording was just very very bad :(
vijaybritto 8y ago
He had 2 years not 5+
- pjmlp 8y ago
  That is a matter of skills doing native UIs.
  - vijaybritto 8y ago
    Yes, exactly! Not everyone has the hardcore skillset to make great cross platform software. So much so that even behemoths like Microsoft write electron apps to get work done. He is using his web skillset to make a product that runs everywhere. If anything, this shows some serious good qualities in the developer that he wants to get the product to multiple people and not ponder over perfection.
    - pjmlp 8y ago
      Actually I meant that 2 years should be enough as well not 5+, given the adequate skillset. As for Microsoft, I think that have been invaded by JS devs on their way to re-invent and refresh the company's culture. Regarding the OP, yes he should be appreciated by taking the effort of spending two years doing this software, it is just a pity that it yet another Electron app.
    - ksk 8y ago
      Giving up 1% of performance every day will give you an app that is twice as slow. I think its a trade-off between productivity and performance. This skillset used to be non-hardcore just a few years back, just like programming using ASM used to be a non-hardcore skillset before that. The middle ground could be managed languages like C# or Java. >So much so that even behemoths like Microsoft write electron apps to get work done. But getting work done != release code. Sure, everyone writes ugly hacks to get stuff done, but usually its either an internal tool or a temporary stop-gap. >If anything, this shows some serious good qualities in the developer that he wants to get the product to multiple people and not ponder over perfection. If you're competing with other mail clients that already exist (not identical clones, but more or less similar) , would you want to release something that works or something amazing that takes time, but also has a high chance of not succeeding? Depends on your philosophy. Some people choose the latter.

reacharavindh 8y ago

?! I would've said the same thing with joy! From the title I was immediately hoping that this was not yet another bloated electron thing.

vijaybritto 8y ago
But how do you think this is bloat?
- pjmlp 8y ago
  I don't need yet another Chrome installation on my PC, one is enough.
blkhp19 8y ago
I’m with you. See my edit, and sorry for the confusing wording. It’s late

DC-3 8y ago

Native UIs are how you get fast and responsive applications that don't chew up memory and CPU.

red_admiral 8y ago

I'd personally think "amazing" is a better adjective than "unfortunate" here - the value of an e-mail client, at least to me, lies almost entirely in its user interface. If using a native stack can squeeze out a few more tidbits of usability here and there, that's a good job well done. There's still a lot of value in native if it's done properly. Electron and similar technologies are in my opinion not quite at the point where they can compete with the best that native platforms can offer. I'm sure that will change one day, but we're not there yet. GTK integration on windows and mac is also less than perfect - I've been using geany on multiple platforms a lot recently and it's a great tool, but there's small annoyances like that the "swipe to scroll" speed varies massively between it and Notepad++.

nasredin 8y ago
Notepad++ is also portable (can run from USB drive). Electron apps' installation process is just madness. It breaks every convention. You can't even choose the install path FFS! I think of Electron apps as BonziBuddy for today's hipsters.
blkhp19 8y ago
Whoops, see my edit. We’re totally advocating for the same thing - my wording was just very very bad :(

vijaybritto 8y ago

He had 2 years not 5+

pjmlp 8y ago
That is a matter of skills doing native UIs.
- vijaybritto 8y ago
  Yes, exactly! Not everyone has the hardcore skillset to make great cross platform software. So much so that even behemoths like Microsoft write electron apps to get work done. He is using his web skillset to make a product that runs everywhere. If anything, this shows some serious good qualities in the developer that he wants to get the product to multiple people and not ponder over perfection.
  - pjmlp 8y ago
    Actually I meant that 2 years should be enough as well not 5+, given the adequate skillset. As for Microsoft, I think that have been invaded by JS devs on their way to re-invent and refresh the company's culture. Regarding the OP, yes he should be appreciated by taking the effort of spending two years doing this software, it is just a pity that it yet another Electron app.
  - ksk 8y ago
    Giving up 1% of performance every day will give you an app that is twice as slow. I think its a trade-off between productivity and performance. This skillset used to be non-hardcore just a few years back, just like programming using ASM used to be a non-hardcore skillset before that. The middle ground could be managed languages like C# or Java. >So much so that even behemoths like Microsoft write electron apps to get work done. But getting work done != release code. Sure, everyone writes ugly hacks to get stuff done, but usually its either an internal tool or a temporary stop-gap. >If anything, this shows some serious good qualities in the developer that he wants to get the product to multiple people and not ponder over perfection. If you're competing with other mail clients that already exist (not identical clones, but more or less similar) , would you want to release something that works or something amazing that takes time, but also has a high chance of not succeeding? Depends on your philosophy. Some people choose the latter.