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I for one, like this. Now, the video & music are awful and definately do not support the overall presentation, but from what I understood, this seems to be pret

I for one, like this. Now, the video & music are awful and definately do not support the overall presentation, but from what I understood, this seems to be pretty cool. Imagine being able to use Javascript for actual desktop application development, without having to resort to tons of html and css in the background. I do like this idea. Even better, it would allow to write applications in ClojureScript or some of the other compile-to-javascript frameworks). Of course, there're other frameworks that utilize javascript for scripting needs or for desktop development (http://www.tidesdk.org/ http://www.tidesdk.org/) (https://code.google.com/p/chromiumembedded/ https://code.google.com/p/chromiumembedded/) (https://github.com/appjs/appjs https://github.com/appjs/appjs) (http://www.appcelerator.com/ http://www.appcelerator.com/) and of course Adobe Air, but all of them just basically open a webview, give you some html that looks a bit like native controls, and let you write html / css / javascript in there with limited access to filesystem or, god forbid, the graphics card. What I understood this project is, is that it allows me to use javascript to drive my native UI elements, access my full system resources, etc. Basically full native development, only Javascript instead of C++. Maybe a bit like Qt QML (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QML http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QML) (and I'd like to see a comparison between these two). I'm really looking forward to this, though I have to admit that the website lacks details, and the video isn't particularly good. This looks a bit too much like demo scene hacking.

rorrr2 13y ago
> Imagine being able to use Javascript for actual desktop application development, without having to resort to tons of html and css in the background You already can do it. Canvas, WebGL, SVG, and a bunch of 2D and 3D libraries.
- nine_k 13y ago
  Trying to imitate the drawing of native components and emulate their behavior is not impossible, but is excessively burdensome (platforms x versions x options quickly becomes large). See Java. Having an ability to use platform-specific native components is a definite win.
- coldtea 13y ago
  >You already can do it. Canvas, WebGL, SVG, and a bunch of 2D and 3D libraries. Sure, and you can even do it with a brainfuck to js transpiler. But I think he meant do it EASILY, without first hacking a full GUI stack from a 2D/3D primitives library.
  - rorrr2 13y ago
    If you want buttons and sliders, HTML and CSS are perfect for that. They are way easier than Qt or any other framework. Let alone whatever that new browser has in place.
    - angersock 13y ago
      Yeah, for 2D interfaces I think that HTML/CSS basically solved the problem, finally, forever. Was soooo happy to switch to web development from doing Java Swing or native toolkits and APIs.
- perturbation 13y ago
  I was skeptical, but I found a lot more than I thought there would be. GTK+ & Javascript == https://wiki.gnome.org/Gjs https://wiki.gnome.org/Gjs Windows app store: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/hh770842.aspx http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/hh77084... Qt 5 is moving this way as well: http://arstechnica.com/business/2012/04/an-in-depth-look-at-qt-5-making-javascript-a-first-class-citizen-for-native-cross-platform-developme/ http://arstechnica.com/business/2012/04/an-in-depth-look-at-...
tianshuo 13y ago
I don't see why you couldn't use node-webkit https://github.com/rogerwang/node-webkit/ https://github.com/rogerwang/node-webkit/ instead.
- dirkk0 13y ago
  I was about to ask the same - the idea of node-webkit is awesome. It would also be nice weekend project to create a website where the user just uploads a zip file with HTML/CSS/JS and download three executables for Linux, OSX and Windows afterwards.
- volokoumphetico 13y ago
  I don't think that gives you native OpenGL and other goodies described....or does it? node-webkit is great, just wish there were great UI library (FOSS & MIT licensed) that looks exactly like a windows/mac/linux desktop application.
volokoumphetico 13y ago
actually I really loved the preview video. it oozes passion and that's what I want to see in any early-adoption of new and bleeding edge software.
erichocean 13y ago
> Imagine being able to use Javascript for actual desktop application development, without having to resort to tons of html and css in the background. You've pretty much described Blossom: https://github.com/erichocean/blossom https://github.com/erichocean/blossom /shameless self-promotion

rorrr2 13y ago

> Imagine being able to use Javascript for actual desktop application development, without having to resort to tons of html and css in the background You already can do it. Canvas, WebGL, SVG, and a bunch of 2D and 3D libraries.

nine_k 13y ago
Trying to imitate the drawing of native components and emulate their behavior is not impossible, but is excessively burdensome (platforms x versions x options quickly becomes large). See Java. Having an ability to use platform-specific native components is a definite win.
coldtea 13y ago
>You already can do it. Canvas, WebGL, SVG, and a bunch of 2D and 3D libraries. Sure, and you can even do it with a brainfuck to js transpiler. But I think he meant do it EASILY, without first hacking a full GUI stack from a 2D/3D primitives library.
- rorrr2 13y ago
  If you want buttons and sliders, HTML and CSS are perfect for that. They are way easier than Qt or any other framework. Let alone whatever that new browser has in place.
  - angersock 13y ago
    Yeah, for 2D interfaces I think that HTML/CSS basically solved the problem, finally, forever. Was soooo happy to switch to web development from doing Java Swing or native toolkits and APIs.
perturbation 13y ago
I was skeptical, but I found a lot more than I thought there would be. GTK+ & Javascript == https://wiki.gnome.org/Gjs https://wiki.gnome.org/Gjs Windows app store: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/hh770842.aspx http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/hh77084... Qt 5 is moving this way as well: http://arstechnica.com/business/2012/04/an-in-depth-look-at-qt-5-making-javascript-a-first-class-citizen-for-native-cross-platform-developme/ http://arstechnica.com/business/2012/04/an-in-depth-look-at-...

tianshuo 13y ago

I don't see why you couldn't use node-webkit https://github.com/rogerwang/node-webkit/ https://github.com/rogerwang/node-webkit/ instead.

dirkk0 13y ago
I was about to ask the same - the idea of node-webkit is awesome. It would also be nice weekend project to create a website where the user just uploads a zip file with HTML/CSS/JS and download three executables for Linux, OSX and Windows afterwards.
volokoumphetico 13y ago
I don't think that gives you native OpenGL and other goodies described....or does it? node-webkit is great, just wish there were great UI library (FOSS & MIT licensed) that looks exactly like a windows/mac/linux desktop application.

volokoumphetico 13y ago

actually I really loved the preview video. it oozes passion and that's what I want to see in any early-adoption of new and bleeding edge software.

erichocean 13y ago

> Imagine being able to use Javascript for actual desktop application development, without having to resort to tons of html and css in the background. You've pretty much described Blossom: https://github.com/erichocean/blossom https://github.com/erichocean/blossom /shameless self-promotion