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The cost of porting that web app to multiple OSes is minuscule compared to writing versions of that app in several different languages/platforms. I can never f

The cost of porting that web app to multiple OSes is minuscule compared to writing versions of that app in several different languages/platforms. I can never figure out where this idea comes from. Do javascript programmers not know about GUI libraries like Qt, FLTK, Juce, or that there are a huge number of cross platform libraries for C++ ? For users, it turns into "will you take 20% worse performance for 500% lower costs?" I think you mean running at 1/20th - 1/200th the speed of a native program and 10%-15% more time spent compiling and testing for each alternate platform. My experience is that it is mostly correcting errors that come from a different compiler. Almost every bit of C++ stays the same.

yamtaddle 4y ago
The only time I've seen cross-platform webtech save meaningful amounts of time and money is when corporate weenies insist that the program look identical on every platform, rather than letting you use a native look for most of it. Styling every single input to look identical on every platform does indeed waste a lot of time—but that's not native's fault, it's the "everything must be On Brand at the expense of all other concerns" people's fault. Meanwhile I very much doubt the customer gives even a subconsious shit that your "app"'s radio buttons look identical to the (also custom) ones on your website. They probably do give a shit that they look unfamiliar compared with natives apps, so take a little more mental energy to process, and they probably do give a shit if your theming introduces any jankiness that wouldn't otherwise be there (and it very often does). But, yes, that level of making everything look and behave identically everywhere is far easier to achieve with webtech. But you could... just not, instead.
hajile 4y ago
Qt development with C++ is slow. Development with QML means JS anyway (good luck finding JS devs with Qt experience) and still having to hire C++ devs too for non trivial apps.
- CyberDildonics 4y ago
  Now you're changing your story. Before you said someone would have to "write versions of that app in several different languages/platforms." Qt development with C++ is slow. What are you basing that on? Development with QML means JS anyway That's actually only for parameters of the QML UI, which is a tiny part of working program. Actually the GUI that can be done through any library is a very tiny part of most programs. Declaring widgets and laying them out is not difficult or time consuming, there isn't much logic there. good luck finding JS devs with Qt experience Any competent C++ programmer can just start using javascript after a day or two of tutorials. There is no need to hire "a JS dev", you just hire a good programmer. Javascript is not that hard. Modern C++ is not even that hard, but as a language javascript is even easier. Anyone who calls themselves "a JS dev" is probably not that experienced to begin with. Learning languages is trivial to someone with experience. Have you ever made a GUI program with modern C++ and FLTK ? It's incredibly easy and the results are lightning quick while starting at 100KB.
  - ozim 4y ago
    Have you ever tried to make c++ dev to code JavaScript? It is not like you can drop by and say “Joe tomorrow you also write JS”. Same for JS devs as it is not that they could not do c++. It is that now you require more so you have to pay them more. If you don’t - they will go to work in company where they do only JS.
    - CyberDildonics 4y ago
      Have you ever tried to make c++ dev to code JavaScript? Yeah, it's not something anyone considers an issue. It is not like you can drop by and say “Joe tomorrow you also write JS”. I've never even met a C++ programmer that didn't know javascript. Every one knew multiple scripting languages and javascript isn't that different. Where are you getting this idea that individual languages are difficult? Same for JS devs as it is not that they could not do c++. It is that now you require more so you have to pay them more. If you don’t - they will go to work in company where they do only JS. This view that knowing more than one language means anything is usually not held by professional programmers. My experience is that this is only an idea held by people who have just learned their first language and feel overwhelmed by learning anything else.

yamtaddle 4y ago

The only time I've seen cross-platform webtech save meaningful amounts of time and money is when corporate weenies insist that the program look identical on every platform, rather than letting you use a native look for most of it. Styling every single input to look identical on every platform does indeed waste a lot of time—but that's not native's fault, it's the "everything must be On Brand at the expense of all other concerns" people's fault. Meanwhile I very much doubt the customer gives even a subconsious shit that your "app"'s radio buttons look identical to the (also custom) ones on your website. They probably do give a shit that they look unfamiliar compared with natives apps, so take a little more mental energy to process, and they probably do give a shit if your theming introduces any jankiness that wouldn't otherwise be there (and it very often does). But, yes, that level of making everything look and behave identically everywhere is far easier to achieve with webtech. But you could... just not, instead.

hajile 4y ago

Qt development with C++ is slow. Development with QML means JS anyway (good luck finding JS devs with Qt experience) and still having to hire C++ devs too for non trivial apps.

CyberDildonics 4y ago
Now you're changing your story. Before you said someone would have to "write versions of that app in several different languages/platforms." Qt development with C++ is slow. What are you basing that on? Development with QML means JS anyway That's actually only for parameters of the QML UI, which is a tiny part of working program. Actually the GUI that can be done through any library is a very tiny part of most programs. Declaring widgets and laying them out is not difficult or time consuming, there isn't much logic there. good luck finding JS devs with Qt experience Any competent C++ programmer can just start using javascript after a day or two of tutorials. There is no need to hire "a JS dev", you just hire a good programmer. Javascript is not that hard. Modern C++ is not even that hard, but as a language javascript is even easier. Anyone who calls themselves "a JS dev" is probably not that experienced to begin with. Learning languages is trivial to someone with experience. Have you ever made a GUI program with modern C++ and FLTK ? It's incredibly easy and the results are lightning quick while starting at 100KB.
- ozim 4y ago
  Have you ever tried to make c++ dev to code JavaScript? It is not like you can drop by and say “Joe tomorrow you also write JS”. Same for JS devs as it is not that they could not do c++. It is that now you require more so you have to pay them more. If you don’t - they will go to work in company where they do only JS.
  - CyberDildonics 4y ago
    Have you ever tried to make c++ dev to code JavaScript? Yeah, it's not something anyone considers an issue. It is not like you can drop by and say “Joe tomorrow you also write JS”. I've never even met a C++ programmer that didn't know javascript. Every one knew multiple scripting languages and javascript isn't that different. Where are you getting this idea that individual languages are difficult? Same for JS devs as it is not that they could not do c++. It is that now you require more so you have to pay them more. If you don’t - they will go to work in company where they do only JS. This view that knowing more than one language means anything is usually not held by professional programmers. My experience is that this is only an idea held by people who have just learned their first language and feel overwhelmed by learning anything else.