4 ms·

WebAssembly isn't just a cross platform technology, it's also a way to target platforms that are currently walled gardens. Being able to run software on e.g., t

WebAssembly isn't just a cross platform technology, it's also a way to target platforms that are currently walled gardens. Being able to run software on e.g., the iPad without paying Apple's 30% fee and being able to ship features / bug fixes without added delays is a big deal. "Write-once, run everywhere without paying someone for the privilege" I think the term's overused, but this could actually be a "game changer".

nostalgeek 8y ago
> WebAssembly isn't just a cross platform technology, it's also a way to target platforms that are currently walled gardens. Being able to run software on e.g., the iPad without paying Apple's 30% fee and being able to ship features / bug fixes without added delays is a big deal. Apple still control what API you can use in their mobile browser, and it's not like they are at the forefront when it comes to implementing Web API today, especially when they also forbid any alternative browser on IOS. Ultimately WebAssembly is limited by the API it has access to in the context of the browser (and the resources that are granted by the browser). All the promises of the "web as an app platform" have not been fulfilled yet. IMHO WebAssembly will play a bigger role on the server, with nodejs for instance as it will allow portable native code distribution.
- w1nt3rmu4e 8y ago
  Sure, that's certainly a factor. But there's a large class of applications that can get by with the API that is available. I'm not suggesting it's a way to build mobile applications without paying Apple. I'm suggesting it will be possible to deliver a product to (nearly) all platforms using 1) a single codebase and 2) bypassing walled gardens. Personally I won't build products for an App Store anymore. They're too restrictive, expensive and time consuming to be worth it. But being able to, say, deliver a desktop product (either via the web or packed in something like Electron) and also deliver nearly the same experience to an iPad Pro would be huge.
  - pjmlp 8y ago
    If you can assure the same security quality, then by all means. Meanwhile I will keep my sandboxes.
imtringued 8y ago
If were to Apple or Google block wasm on iOS/Android then it's momentum would slow down significantly.

nostalgeek 8y ago

> WebAssembly isn't just a cross platform technology, it's also a way to target platforms that are currently walled gardens. Being able to run software on e.g., the iPad without paying Apple's 30% fee and being able to ship features / bug fixes without added delays is a big deal. Apple still control what API you can use in their mobile browser, and it's not like they are at the forefront when it comes to implementing Web API today, especially when they also forbid any alternative browser on IOS. Ultimately WebAssembly is limited by the API it has access to in the context of the browser (and the resources that are granted by the browser). All the promises of the "web as an app platform" have not been fulfilled yet. IMHO WebAssembly will play a bigger role on the server, with nodejs for instance as it will allow portable native code distribution.

w1nt3rmu4e 8y ago
Sure, that's certainly a factor. But there's a large class of applications that can get by with the API that is available. I'm not suggesting it's a way to build mobile applications without paying Apple. I'm suggesting it will be possible to deliver a product to (nearly) all platforms using 1) a single codebase and 2) bypassing walled gardens. Personally I won't build products for an App Store anymore. They're too restrictive, expensive and time consuming to be worth it. But being able to, say, deliver a desktop product (either via the web or packed in something like Electron) and also deliver nearly the same experience to an iPad Pro would be huge.
- pjmlp 8y ago
  If you can assure the same security quality, then by all means. Meanwhile I will keep my sandboxes.

imtringued 8y ago

If were to Apple or Google block wasm on iOS/Android then it's momentum would slow down significantly.