I don't do any desktop development or use Windows much for that matter, but it looks like as of today, there are at least 4 ways [0] to build Windows desktop apps. No wonder the UX feels far less consistent and enjoyable than macOS.
Microsoft wanted to take developers in a direction they didn't want to go. They seemed to have realized their mistake and trying to unify this mess. In the recent past, you wouldn't find WPF and Windows Forms mentioned in the same article as UWP.
Apple had their own problems with this (Carbon vs Cocoa) but that legacy has been shaken off.
That's interesting, did not know about the carbon to cocoa move, couldn't afford anything Apple back then :)
If both platforms had to handle such migrations, I guess it's only fair to say that Windows' solution would be much more difficult given how committed Microsoft is to maintaining backwards compatibility.
For a language compiling to native instructions, there's really only the C(++) API. UWP is barely used in my experience and WPF/Windows Forms are basically exclusive to the dotnet framework.
Windows Forms and the native API share most of their controls' look and feel while WPF is a free-form application framework that allows you to ignore all UI standards if you desire to. I can't remember the last time I've seen a WPF application though, I think it's either dead or dying already.
UWP is the new API Microsoft really wants everyone to use. It comes preloaded with the "native" Windows 10 feel with their new design and is intended to be distributed through the MS app store (though you can install packages manually with some effort as a developer).
It's what new applications aiming to be Windows native probably should be using in my opinion, but most developers seem to stick to the native API or its wrappers. That means there's barely any UWP applications in use by most people, which means they aren't used to the UWP style, which means they find UWP apps weird, which means there's barely any UWP apps, etc., etc., etc.
wvenable|5 years ago
Apple had their own problems with this (Carbon vs Cocoa) but that legacy has been shaken off.
chin7an|5 years ago
If both platforms had to handle such migrations, I guess it's only fair to say that Windows' solution would be much more difficult given how committed Microsoft is to maintaining backwards compatibility.
jeroenhd|5 years ago
Windows Forms and the native API share most of their controls' look and feel while WPF is a free-form application framework that allows you to ignore all UI standards if you desire to. I can't remember the last time I've seen a WPF application though, I think it's either dead or dying already.
UWP is the new API Microsoft really wants everyone to use. It comes preloaded with the "native" Windows 10 feel with their new design and is intended to be distributed through the MS app store (though you can install packages manually with some effort as a developer).
It's what new applications aiming to be Windows native probably should be using in my opinion, but most developers seem to stick to the native API or its wrappers. That means there's barely any UWP applications in use by most people, which means they aren't used to the UWP style, which means they find UWP apps weird, which means there's barely any UWP apps, etc., etc., etc.
donor20|5 years ago
jmnicolas|5 years ago
thought_alarm|5 years ago
ratww|5 years ago
saagarjha|5 years ago
coldtea|5 years ago
In Windows there are totally different widget look and feels supported...