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What's WinRT (I guess it changed names a few times) like 9 years later?

pjmlp 6y ago
Microsoft acknowledged that it was kind of bad decision, and is merging both stacks under Project Reunion. https://blogs.windows.com/windowsdeveloper/2020/05/19/developing-for-all-1-billion-windows-10-devices-and-beyond/ https://blogs.windows.com/windowsdeveloper/2020/05/19/develo... https://microsoft.github.io/microsoft-ui-xaml/ https://microsoft.github.io/microsoft-ui-xaml/ So basically the WinRT improvements over COM can now also be used on the Win32 side, and C++/CX extensions have been replaced by C++/WinRT, a C++17 based framework. In the process the COM IDL compiler has be upgraded to deal with WinRT type system. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/uwp/midl-3/intro https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/uwp/midl-3/intro And Windows 10X, which got delayed due to the situation we are in, was going to merge both sandbox models. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztrmrIlgbIc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztrmrIlgbIc The problem is having to turn the tanker around after those 9 years, so it is going to be a slow turn until they can pretend Windows 8.x never happened.
- spaetzleesser 6y ago
  I have worked on windows desktop apps for more than 25 years but I have no clue what their current strategy is other than that there probably is none and will change soon anyway. I love good desktop apps but it’s time to focus on web and cloud.
  - pjmlp 6y ago
    Sure, because the year of Desktop Linux is around the corner. Plenty of enterprise shops have deployment scenarios were the Web is a no go, and WebGL 2.0/WebGPU are no match for native 3D APIs. Then there is the little detail forgotten around HN, that around the world Android tablets have been mostly a failure, basically Android phones with bigger screen. Anyone that wants such a device and isn't into iPads (or cannot afford them), ends up buying Windows laptops or hybrid devices with detachable keyboards.
- kitkat_new 6y ago
  There's also Rust/WinRT
  - pjmlp 6y ago
    Yes, although its progress has been kind of slow, at least from the outside, it appears to be mostly Kenny Kerr's project with management's blessing.
    - RcouF1uZ4gsC 6y ago
      But that is how WinRT/C++ started out as well. Kenny Kerr was working on it independently, then Microsoft hired him to continue to work on it.
      - pjmlp 6y ago
        True, and C++/WinRT is still a clunky experience compared with C++/CX, full of github issues of people complaining lack of vision from Windows dev team, including my own. Rust/WinRT still cannot create components, just consume them, and there is no tooling support for Visual Studio.

Microsoft acknowledged that it was kind of bad decision, and is merging both stacks under Project Reunion. https://blogs.windows.com/windowsdeveloper/2020/05/19/developing-for-all-1-billion-windows-10-devices-and-beyond/ https://blogs.windows.com/windowsdeveloper/2020/05/19/develo... https://microsoft.github.io/microsoft-ui-xaml/ https://microsoft.github.io/microsoft-ui-xaml/ So basically the WinRT improvements over COM can now also be used on the Win32 side, and C++/CX extensions have been replaced by C++/WinRT, a C++17 based framework. In the process the COM IDL compiler has be upgraded to deal with WinRT type system. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/uwp/midl-3/intro https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/uwp/midl-3/intro And Windows 10X, which got delayed due to the situation we are in, was going to merge both sandbox models. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztrmrIlgbIc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztrmrIlgbIc The problem is having to turn the tanker around after those 9 years, so it is going to be a slow turn until they can pretend Windows 8.x never happened.

spaetzleesser 6y ago
I have worked on windows desktop apps for more than 25 years but I have no clue what their current strategy is other than that there probably is none and will change soon anyway. I love good desktop apps but it’s time to focus on web and cloud.
- pjmlp 6y ago
  Sure, because the year of Desktop Linux is around the corner. Plenty of enterprise shops have deployment scenarios were the Web is a no go, and WebGL 2.0/WebGPU are no match for native 3D APIs. Then there is the little detail forgotten around HN, that around the world Android tablets have been mostly a failure, basically Android phones with bigger screen. Anyone that wants such a device and isn't into iPads (or cannot afford them), ends up buying Windows laptops or hybrid devices with detachable keyboards.
kitkat_new 6y ago
There's also Rust/WinRT
- pjmlp 6y ago
  Yes, although its progress has been kind of slow, at least from the outside, it appears to be mostly Kenny Kerr's project with management's blessing.
  - RcouF1uZ4gsC 6y ago
    But that is how WinRT/C++ started out as well. Kenny Kerr was working on it independently, then Microsoft hired him to continue to work on it.
    - pjmlp 6y ago
      True, and C++/WinRT is still a clunky experience compared with C++/CX, full of github issues of people complaining lack of vision from Windows dev team, including my own. Rust/WinRT still cannot create components, just consume them, and there is no tooling support for Visual Studio.