If you are interested in Windows news at all you have seen the presentation on Windows 8 (Win8). I was shocked, not by the new touch screen based user interface (UI), nor by the fact that it will be the default UI on the desktop. Go desktop touch screens! (I admit it, I have tried to activate a menu or application by touching my desktop screen after spending too many hours on my Android tablet)
No, it was Microsoft’s description of the new native Win8 apps, which are built on HTML 5 and JavaScript. HTML 5? JavaScript?? And I thought Microsoft was pushing HTML 5 compliance and JavaScript performance just for the web! Now we know the REAL story; it is to speed up native Win8 apps. Microsoft can finally realize it’s dream of applications being interpreted. No, it’s not NET like they originally pushed, but with JavaScript virtually ALL web developers will be able to create native Win8 apps.
This is a strong, but risky move; not the type that Microsoft has been know for in recent years. The potential positive aspects I see are the huge increase in the developer talent pool I already mentioned, increased app security, lower development costs, easier to target desktop-pad-phone-console, and easier app store integration.
However, the negatives for Microsoft (and a boon for others) could be easier to port apps to other platforms (Linux, Android, MacOS) and consumer backlash against the new UI. Of course, we have no idea yet how Microsoft will package Win8 apps, or how they might restrict them. And perhaps consumers have become so used to their portable devices that they will welcome the same interface on the desktop.
There is speculation Microsoft will simply use HTML Applications (HTAs), which have been supported since IE 5, but have remained fairly obscure. Since all but trivial apps will require various resources, images, sounds files, etc., they may already have an archive container chosen to more easily package everything up. Whatever the format, unless they have figured out some way to lock in developers to Win8, perhaps some mandatory copyrighted JavaScript classes, developers will easily create the same functionality on other platforms. And I wonder how long before other browsers decide to support HTAs?
I have been saying for years that JavaScript was under appreciated, and the great speed increases in today’s browsers has helped to keep it as the #1 language of the web (you thought that was Java?). I look forward to using JavaScript in desktop apps.
Yes, Win8 really surprised me, but I can’t wait to see if Microsoft is the one surprised in the end.