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Microsoft introduces Universal Windows apps

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Re: Microsoft introduces Universal Windows apps

#72
They really need to go both ways with their cross platform offerings.

I can use their technology to develop apps for other platforms, but I cannot use their technology to run those apps. That requires having the other platform.

It would be nice if I could not only develop cross platform apps for iOS, Android, and Windows Phone, but I could also run them on their Windows Phone platform. I would buy a windows phone if it could do that.

Re: Microsoft introduces Universal Windows apps

#73
post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can rely on C# being on all platforms by default? Linux and OS X? Really? Last time I used Windows (several years ago), there were always apps that needed to download and install the latest version of the .NET runtime... - is that still a thing?

int main(){ puts("Hello World"); } This doesn't work in Windows. The standard entry point to Windows is "int CALLBACK WinMain( _In_ HINSTANCE hInstance, _In_ HINSTANCE hPrevInstance, _In_ LPSTR lpCmdLine, _In_ int nCmdShow );" C never really "ran" on Windows. C is built on top of abstractions to even run on Windows. A SegFault in standard C is supposed to be passed to a signal handler (in Linux/ OSX). A SegFault in W…

  int main(){ puts("Hello World"); }
> This doesn't work in Windows.

Sure it does. Windows has console programs. Though I'd argue that your use of non-standard main is not something I'd do, but IIRC even that works on Windows, at least it did with older compilers, haven't done much windows C programming with the newer ones.

Re: Microsoft introduces Universal Windows apps

#74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just like a universal binary on OSX?

Exactly, except Microsoft has taken it to the logical conclusion we all want supporting all platforms, and sadly Apple hasn't. I have code that runs on both iPhone/iPad and shares most of it with the Mac version yet I have to build the Mac as a separate app and submit to a different store. That sucks.

I bet that apple is working on this, and Microsoft just got there first. Not to take anything away from Microsoft, this is awesome!

Re: Microsoft introduces Universal Windows apps

#75
post #72

They really need to go both ways with their cross platform offerings. I can use their technology to develop apps for other platforms, but I cannot use their technology to run those apps. That requires having the other platform. It would be nice if I could not only develop cross platform apps for iOS, Android, and Windows Phone, but I could also run them on their Windows Phone platform. I would buy a windows phone if…

Why would they want to help you provide content for Android?

Re: Microsoft introduces Universal Windows apps

#76
post #42

Beware Apple, Google: Microsoft is starting to get it .

http://tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/img_2014...

Yes they are. Windowed Metro-apps, and legitimate Start Menu with decent Metro live tile integration (and a shutdown button)

I was hoping that they'd have jumplists back on the startmenu, but lets see what they come up with...

Re: Microsoft introduces Universal Windows apps

#77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

int main(){ puts("Hello World"); } This doesn't work in Windows. The standard entry point to Windows is "int CALLBACK WinMain( _In_ HINSTANCE hInstance, _In_ HINSTANCE hPrevInstance, _In_ LPSTR lpCmdLine, _In_ int nCmdShow );" C never really "ran" on Windows. C is built on top of abstractions to even run on Windows. A SegFault in standard C is supposed to be passed to a signal handler (in Linux/ OSX). A SegFault in W…

int main(){ puts("Hello World"); } > This doesn't work in Windows. Sure it does. Windows has console programs. Though I'd argue that your use of non-standard main is not something I'd do, but IIRC even that works on Windows, at least it did with older compilers, haven't done much windows C programming with the newer ones.

What you point out is an _abstraction_ that compilers include as part of their kits.

You claim to be a low-level programmer who understands C. The truth is right in front of you. Decompile those programs, look at their symbol tables. Notice, every Win32 program starts at WinMain, called with the arguments that I listed above.

Come back when you've done this simple exercise. Realize, WinMain is the _true_ starting point of "C Programs" in Windows. The rest are compiler abstractions.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ff38... >>> How does the compiler know to invoke wWinMain instead of the standard main function? What actually happens is that the Microsoft C runtime library (CRT) provides an implementation of main that calls either WinMain or wWinMain.

Re: Microsoft introduces Universal Windows apps

#79
post #66
post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

C# is a much higher-level language than C, with a much richer set of libraries that can be relied upon to be everywhere. That's why it matters.

You can rely on C# being on all platforms by default? Linux and OS X? Really? Last time I used Windows (several years ago), there were always apps that needed to download and install the latest version of the .NET runtime... - is that still a thing?

All MS platforms yes, why would MS care about OSX or Linux.
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