5 ms·

What's to stop you from putting a Silverlight APP in the tiled interface? Silverlight runs OK now in HTML pages so in theory it should work in the HTML + JS Win

by lini 15y ago

What's to stop you from putting a Silverlight APP in the tiled interface? Silverlight runs OK now in HTML pages so in theory it should work in the HTML + JS Win8 box as well :)

michael_dorfman 15y ago
I think what is more troubling is that Microsoft has apparently signaled a major shift in the preferred way to develop programs for the Windows platform and simultaneously refused to address the implications for developers, asking them to wait for further announcements in September. That's a recipe for fear, uncertainty and doubt within the tribe itself. Put another way: it's hard to reconcile "Developers! Developers! Developers! Developers! Developers!" with "We're changing things radically concerning the way you develop, but we won't tell you how-- hold tight until September, 'mmm-kay?" EDIT: formatting
- bruceboughton 15y ago
  At this point Microsoft is just pre-empting Apple announcements at WWDC. It's all hubris until they deliver something more concrete. There will be internal debate about HTML5/JS vs .NET, and their choice of strategic platform has changed enough times in the last few years to make me take this announcement with a pinch of salt. I'm not worried until they shut up and ship.
- xradionut 15y ago
  There's a huge number of business developers this won't affect. .NET and "normal" desktop, web and server apps are still the bread and butter for these folks. Not everyone is on the bleeding edge.
  - teyc 15y ago
    There is a turf war at the moment between MS, Apple and Goog. Developers take time to tool up and skill up, and amidst all the gunsmoke and fog of war, we all have to decide who to pledge our allegiance to. By not mentioning Silverlight or WPF, MS is effectively switching sides from developers who have invested in exclusively MS tech to those who are far less partisan, and it hurts.
    - ern 15y ago
      MS is effectively switching sides from developers who have invested in exclusively MS tech to those who are far less partisan, and it hurts. Microsoft does seem to be inching away from its traditional developer base to broaden its appeal. Lightswitch seems to be another example. I doubt that it will be as empowering for non-developers as the marketing suggests, but it should reduce the effort/expertise required in creating well-architected CRUD apps, making in-house development easier and exerting downward pressure on project costs. This will hurt some consulting shops. But Microsoft's duty isn't to look after its loyal developers, it is to maximize shareholder value.
      - teyc 15y ago
        Lightswitch is Silverlight wrapped in a good practice framework, just like Wavemaker generates code on Spring. I had a play with Lightswitch and I liked it. It is like MS Access. I'm surprised they positioned this at the developers rather than power users though. Perhaps there is a wall between the tools division and the Office division. On the topic of loyalty, platform companies are like the Mafioso. Loyalty or the lack of it cuts both ways. MS tech is not the easiest to learn. The reason MS got away with it for years is because Sun was even worse.
        ern 15y ago
        I had a play with Lightswitch and I liked it. It is like MS Access. I'm surprised they positioned this at the developers rather than power users though. They are positioning at power users, but it does seem like more of a developer tool. I think it will appeal to less-skilled or time constrained developers more than to power users. I've turned down side projects, where Lightswitch would have been extremely helpful because of time constraints. I have worked in consulting places where income is generated, especially during lulls, with the sort of apps that Lightswitch is supposed to generate. I expect, if Lightswitch works as advertised, to see less of those projects. MS tech is not the easiest to learn. The reason MS got away with it for years is because Sun was even worse. My personal hope is that Microsoft feels threatened enough to produce some silver bullets for business application development, or at least to try.

by lini 15y ago

What's to stop you from putting a Silverlight APP in the tiled interface? Silverlight runs OK now in HTML pages so in theory it should work in the HTML + JS Win8 box as well :)

michael_dorfman 15y ago

I think what is more troubling is that Microsoft has apparently signaled a major shift in the preferred way to develop programs for the Windows platform and simultaneously refused to address the implications for developers, asking them to wait for further announcements in September. That's a recipe for fear, uncertainty and doubt within the tribe itself. Put another way: it's hard to reconcile "Developers! Developers! Developers! Developers! Developers!" with "We're changing things radically concerning the way you develop, but we won't tell you how-- hold tight until September, 'mmm-kay?" EDIT: formatting

bruceboughton 15y ago
At this point Microsoft is just pre-empting Apple announcements at WWDC. It's all hubris until they deliver something more concrete. There will be internal debate about HTML5/JS vs .NET, and their choice of strategic platform has changed enough times in the last few years to make me take this announcement with a pinch of salt. I'm not worried until they shut up and ship.
xradionut 15y ago
There's a huge number of business developers this won't affect. .NET and "normal" desktop, web and server apps are still the bread and butter for these folks. Not everyone is on the bleeding edge.
- teyc 15y ago
  There is a turf war at the moment between MS, Apple and Goog. Developers take time to tool up and skill up, and amidst all the gunsmoke and fog of war, we all have to decide who to pledge our allegiance to. By not mentioning Silverlight or WPF, MS is effectively switching sides from developers who have invested in exclusively MS tech to those who are far less partisan, and it hurts.
  - ern 15y ago
    MS is effectively switching sides from developers who have invested in exclusively MS tech to those who are far less partisan, and it hurts. Microsoft does seem to be inching away from its traditional developer base to broaden its appeal. Lightswitch seems to be another example. I doubt that it will be as empowering for non-developers as the marketing suggests, but it should reduce the effort/expertise required in creating well-architected CRUD apps, making in-house development easier and exerting downward pressure on project costs. This will hurt some consulting shops. But Microsoft's duty isn't to look after its loyal developers, it is to maximize shareholder value.
    - teyc 15y ago
      Lightswitch is Silverlight wrapped in a good practice framework, just like Wavemaker generates code on Spring. I had a play with Lightswitch and I liked it. It is like MS Access. I'm surprised they positioned this at the developers rather than power users though. Perhaps there is a wall between the tools division and the Office division. On the topic of loyalty, platform companies are like the Mafioso. Loyalty or the lack of it cuts both ways. MS tech is not the easiest to learn. The reason MS got away with it for years is because Sun was even worse.
      - ern 15y ago
        I had a play with Lightswitch and I liked it. It is like MS Access. I'm surprised they positioned this at the developers rather than power users though. They are positioning at power users, but it does seem like more of a developer tool. I think it will appeal to less-skilled or time constrained developers more than to power users. I've turned down side projects, where Lightswitch would have been extremely helpful because of time constraints. I have worked in consulting places where income is generated, especially during lulls, with the sort of apps that Lightswitch is supposed to generate. I expect, if Lightswitch works as advertised, to see less of those projects. MS tech is not the easiest to learn. The reason MS got away with it for years is because Sun was even worse. My personal hope is that Microsoft feels threatened enough to produce some silver bullets for business application development, or at least to try.