It seems that the vast majority of software I'm hearing about is targeting iOS, Android or embedded systems. Is anyone working on a software product that (a) targets a non-mobile, non-server device and (b) is for sale, as opposed to Open-source?
Ask HN: Are people still writing commercial software for desktop PCs?
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Re: Ask HN: Are people still writing commercial software for desktop PCs?
#2> It seems that the vast majority of software I'm hearing about is targeting iOS, Android or embedded systems.
That's because you are mostly interested in those things.
> Is anyone working on a software product that (a) targets a non-mobile, non-server device and (b) is for sale, as opposed to Open-source?
None of that is "opposed to Open-source". Anyway, if you use Windows or macOS, then open your platform's "app store" and take a look at literally any category but "free (as in beer)".
Yes. There is a whole world outside of your bubble.
Re: Ask HN: Are people still writing commercial software for desktop PCs?
#3In my experience yes, but you won't find these applications until you start digging below the surface a little bit and asking what business people in non-tech domains are actually using the tech to do. Ask around and you'll find old school GUI applications aplenty, the more specialized the domain the better.
Re: Ask HN: Are people still writing commercial software for desktop PCs?
#4Do you not use a desktop environment? Loads of software is being made (and I only know the macOS side of it). Window managers, compression tools, utilities, powerhouse tools like Photoshop, text editors, IDEs, etc.
I myself build software in this space and generally its productivity-ish-tools.
Here's a list of 70 macOS apps that received updates _today_ https://macupdater.com/app_updates/index-2025-01-27.html
Re: Ask HN: Are people still writing commercial software for desktop PCs?
#5AI training
Music production/ synthesis
Graphics / 3D / animation
Plus untold business cases
Re: Ask HN: Are people still writing commercial software for desktop PCs?
#6Check out Rogue Amoeba’s audio software products. Also Symless Synergy.
Re: Ask HN: Are people still writing commercial software for desktop PCs?
#7Do you not use a desktop environment? Loads of software is being made (and I only know the macOS side of it). Window managers, compression tools, utilities, powerhouse tools like Photoshop, text editors, IDEs, etc. I myself build software in this space and generally its productivity-ish-tools. Here's a list of 70 macOS apps that received updates _today_ https://macupdater.com/app_updates/index-2025-01-27.html
Currently on my Mac, I have: Affinity Designer and Photo, Pixelmator, Balsamiq, Things, Bear, Dash, Parallel, iA Writer, Cleanshot, Alfred, Transmit,… Most free apps are either opensource or SaaS powered. There’s a lot of paid software when you want to do stuff with your computer and not someone else’s.
Re: Ask HN: Are people still writing commercial software for desktop PCs?
#8Do you not use a desktop environment? Loads of software is being made (and I only know the macOS side of it). Window managers, compression tools, utilities, powerhouse tools like Photoshop, text editors, IDEs, etc. I myself build software in this space and generally its productivity-ish-tools. Here's a list of 70 macOS apps that received updates _today_ https://macupdater.com/app_updates/index-2025-01-27.html
I do use a desktop environment. I don't use many additional productivity tools, though, and that is likely why I have a blind spot about that part of the software market.
My question was more geared towards the seeming lack of a robust software ecosystem (i.e., there appears to be at most one leading product in each category, with one or two alternatives), to whit: - there's Xcode/VSCode. - Photoshop/GIMP. - Sublime Text - not sure about DAW software - the field has changed since I was involved
I'll have to check macupdater out, thanks for the tip.
Re: Ask HN: Are people still writing commercial software for desktop PCs?
#9> It seems that the vast majority of software I'm hearing about is targeting iOS, Android or embedded systems. That's because you are mostly interested in those things. > Is anyone working on a software product that (a) targets a non-mobile, non-server device and (b) is for sale, as opposed to Open-source? None of that is "opposed to Open-source". Anyway, if you use Windows or macOS, then open your platform's "app st…
> None of that is "opposed to Open-source".
You're quite right. Open-source vs. non-open-source is irrelevant to the question.
Re: Ask HN: Are people still writing commercial software for desktop PCs?
#10Do you not use a desktop environment? Loads of software is being made (and I only know the macOS side of it). Window managers, compression tools, utilities, powerhouse tools like Photoshop, text editors, IDEs, etc. I myself build software in this space and generally its productivity-ish-tools. Here's a list of 70 macOS apps that received updates _today_ https://macupdater.com/app_updates/index-2025-01-27.html
I do use a desktop environment. I don't use many additional productivity tools, though, and that is likely why I have a blind spot about that part of the software market. My question was more geared towards the seeming lack of a robust software ecosystem (i.e., there appears to be at most one leading product in each category, with one or two alternatives), to whit: - there's Xcode/VSCode. - Photoshop/GIMP. - Sublime…
Almost all major DAW software targets the desktop environment - A lot of them are cross platform (Ableton, FL Studio, Studio One, Cubase, Reaper, Bitwig, etc.)
Linux is sort of left out in the cold unfortunately, except for reaper and bigwig, both of which are very solid choices.