Windows 8: Reading the Directions

Also, like Apple , Microsoft is going heavily proprietary in development tools – a proprietary C++ with XAML, Silverlight, and a .NET 4.5 Framework which leaves its Linux Mono versions out of the latest features – so .NET programs will always run best in Windows. Finally, like Apple , Redmond  is offering up HTML5 for cross platform development – faster development but slower, less standardized, and covered in proprietary extensions [Metro for now, XAML,  ASP,  HTML5 half finished, or proprietary etc].

Windows 8 with Azure support provides a broad range of in the Cloud services in cluding SkyDrive storage, Azure SQL, and sophisticated Cloud sharing capabilities tied into a familiar Visual Studio context. This is several steps beyond the developer connections and tools available from Apple  for iOS or  Google for Android. So Microsoft is offering developers good but not necessarily best Cloud features/deals with very oood tools to incorporate them into their offerings. This is a familiar Microsoft tactic.

Our tests show that IE10 is less than 50% compliant with HTML5 standards using the CanIuse.com and HTML5test.com benchmarks. In addition, Microsoft is proposing a series of Metro control designs  for standardization by W3C while taking a pass on WebGL and Web SQL among others. Hunnh? Only support HTML5 to less than 50% and then ask for clearly take-it or leave it Metro standards to be approved. If Redmond had done E4x in JavaScript or DOM rationalization/deprecation of its HTML and DOM extensions – maybe then it would have a more compelling case. for its new standards.

With HTML5+JavaScript being one of the few publicly supported “cross-platform” standards, one can see an ANSI SQL debacle  breaking out in the Web arena.-  a dummy set of  ANSI SQL standard has allowed islands/silos  of information to plague developers large and small for the past 30 years in IT development. This standards abuse  epidemic is looking like it is breaking out again – 10-12 years after the debilitating Browser Wars. So  Apple with its go slow on Mac HTML5;  Apple +  Google with Webkit only touchscreen operations  and other HTML5 standards hold ups; Google proposing Dart as a JavaScript replacement and still remiss on E4X implementation; and Google and Oracle breaking out in Java mobile patent disputes – the world of Web Standards is not pretty at all – and Windows 8 directions do not help.

Also the Async keywords for threading and speed support, contracts, and identities has Microsoft squaring off with key issues. in systeme development. But notably Microsoft and Intel are taking different paths on GPU and multi-core utilization. Likewise it has banned plugins and Flash from Metro IE – what other surprises lurk for developers in the system context? A lot of 3rd party developers must be wondering. 

However, this viewer has some distinct reservations on the Metro UI and some of its restrictions – see here for details. In addition how well the classic Windows interface  with all its chrome and controls works well in many contexts. Thus Visual Studio Express 2011 retains a classic desktop interface because it fits better than Metro. Will Redmond allow not just integration of classic desktop UI with metro UI – but both to flourish?