Windows 8 will not be open source friendly

[Xircal]

It seems Microsoft thinks it doesn't have enough money in the bank and now wants to charge developers of open source software $499 for the full version of Visual Studio.

To make sure developers don't use the free version of VS called Visual Studio Express to create desktop applications, Microsoft has removed the compiler infrastructure from the Windows 8 SDK.

This means that developers of open source apps will be either forced to create Metro applications only, or to purchase the full VS version if they want to create desktop applications.

Hardly in the spirit of promoting goodwill among budding developers is it.

Full story here: New obstacle for open source on Windows 8

[Doc Brown]

It will be interesting to see what this really means long term and how it plays out.

[Xircal]

I think it's very sad. Like it or not, Windows is still the dominant operating system and to stifle innovation in this way is egregious.

But the permanent "Windows Market Place" icon on the desktop hasn't been placed there for nothing and I suspect future apps will come at a price with open source software sidelined. It seems to work for Apple, so perhaps M$ is proposing to adopt the same strategy in future.

I wonder what the EU Commission will have to say about that.

[JoeP517]

Not so fast - see No-cost desktop software development is not really dead on Windows 8.

Joe

[Medico]

Like I have said right along, I am going to wait and see what October brings before I decide one way or the other on any aspect of Win 8. It's way too early to say conclusively one way or the other on anything having to do with Win 8.

[ruirib]

There is contradictory info on this subject, so let's not rush into judgement. Jury still out, I'd say.

[Medico]

You betcha! Jury is still out on ALL aspects of Win 8!

[Xircal]

Not so fast - see No-cost desktop software development is not really dead on Windows 8.

Joe

Joe, with all due respect, you need to read the article again. Yes, VSE is still available free of charge, but that can only be used to write Metro applications. If open source developers want to create full blown desktop applications, they'll have to purchase the full version of Visual Studio costing $499. The reason they won't be able to use VSE for that purpose is because Microsoft has removed the compiler infrastrure for the Window 8 SDK.

[ruirib]

Rafael Rivera proved the C/C++ compiler is there. Whether this will be possible with the RTM or the RC is still to be seen.

[Xircal]

Rafael Rivera proved the C/C++ compiler is there. Whether this will be possible with the RTM or the RC is still to be seen.

Well, I'm not a programmer so I won't argue the point.

But in that particular case, what is that article all about?

[ruirib]

Which article, Peter Bright's or Rafael Rivera's?

[Xircal]

Which article, Peter Bright's or Rafael Rivera's?

I'm the OP in this thread, so I'm referring to the link I posted.

[ruirib]

It seems that, by default, the Express Version of Visual Studio 11 is not configured to allow desktop apps development. Peter Bright's post was meant to convey his displeasure over that (and also to post his own findings).Rafael Rivera's rebuttal simply states that can be easily overcome by a developer and the demo was supposed to provide proof of that.

I guess Peter Bright is not a professional developer, and Rafael Rivera is.

[ruirib]

And one rumor has just been proven baseless : http://blogs.msdn.com/b/visualstudio...s-desktop.aspx

[Medico]

There was so much uproar when the what now appears to be incorrect information came out that I figured something had to be wrong. There are just too many conventional PC's in use to totally give up on Desktop apps.