Universal Windows Programs (“Metro apps”) aren’t dead yet, but there’s a better alternative on the horizon

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Progressive Web Apps aren’t so much Google’s much-better alternative to Win10-only Universal Windows Programs (formerly known as “Metro apps”) as they
[See the full post at: Universal Windows Programs (“Metro apps”) aren’t dead yet, but there’s a better alternative on the horizon]

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MrBrian

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So, basically, M$ are trying to copy Google with Progressive Web Apps that are only available in Chrome/Chrome Store and Edge/M$ Store respectively(.?) = a walled garden or locked ecosystem.

Google, being mainly a Digital Ad company, would naturally go for PWA which complement their crippled Web-based ChromeOS, that has < 1% world desktop OS marketshare.
_______ PWA likely aren’t going anywhere.
Isn’t M$’s Office 365 already like a PWA.?

If M$ intend to use PWA to lock their Win 10 users inside Edge and M$ Store, they will likely be in for a surprise reaction/revolt from their users.

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Someone please correct me if I’m wrong, because I don’t have time to research this topic just now. Isn’t this what Sun / Oracle tried to do with Java apps some years ago? (And we all know what came out of that!)

So is this just another example of Deja Vu all over again? Other than the fact that it’s Google leading the development, not Oracle, why should I believe they’ll get it right this time?

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Can I propose that a better alternative to UWP/ Metro would be… Win32?

This drive toward “apps” on PC is putting the cart before the horse.  The whole point about apps is that they are reduced function/footprint/complexity programs (as compared to full desktop programs) designed to run on the more limited hardware of mobile devices.  They’re intentionally and necessarily limited to cope with the reduced local storage, RAM, CPU power, input capacity, and especially screen space of the mobile device.

Why we would then want to run that intentionally limited thing back on a PC that has none of the limitations for which the mobile app was designed is a mystery, other than the “gee whiz, that’s cool” appeal of being able to run something on a platform for which it was not designed.  Novelty value, in other words… not reason enough for a paradigm shift, in my book.

 

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Elly, Cybertooth, lurks about, MrJimPhelps, David F, PKCano

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Maybe I am just old school but I have yet to use one Windows app. Well I guess occasionally I use Edge but not often. Wasn’t the whole ideal of 10S to basically run everything as a app from the store? Google at least has managed to focus Chrome OS around apps, and Android is very successful. Microsoft has neither a successful mobile system or a app store that you can use exclusively. At least maybe progressive apps working on multi platforms might increase development.

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Hmmm… Try jspaint.ml in the address bar of the Chrome, FireFox and Edge browsers and tell me why I should want anything to do with Progressive Web Apps?

About Paint

JS Paint Public Alpha

JS Paint is a web-based remake of MS Paint by Isaiah Odhner.

Read about the project and extra features on the README.

Request features and report bugs on GitHub or by email.

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