No-cost desktop software development is dead on Windows 8

[GreyGeek]

http://arstechnica.com/information-t...1#comments-bar

You won't be able to use the free Visual Studio Express to develop desktop apps, which means that you won't be able to create GPL Qt4 apps on Windows 8 without paying MS $500.

Microsoft wants Windows developers to write Windows 8-specific, Metro-style, touch-friendly applications, and to make sure that they crank these apps out, the company has decided that Visual Studio 11 Express, the free-to-use version of its integrated development environment, can producenothing else.If you want to develop desktop applications—anything that runs at the command line or on the conventional Windows desktop that remains a fully supported, integral, essential part of Windows 8—you'll have two options: stick with the current Visual C++ 2010 Express and Visual C# 2010 Express products, or pay about $400-500 for Visual Studio 11 Professional. A second version, Visual Studio 11 Express for Web, will be able to produce HTML and JavaScript websites, and nothing more.
...

It gets worse...the Windows SDK for windows 8 will not include a compiler toolchain at all, lest any sneaky developers try to cheat the system and use it to write desktop apps.

The article adds LOTS of details and is a must read for any Windows developer.

What I see as the unintended consequences of Microsoft's decision is that some entrepreneur may see a market for a powerful C++ compiler that can be used on Win8 to compile apps built with other APIs. That or developers abandoning the Win8 desktop market. Not a good outcome for Microsoft either way.

Without a free Win8 compiler available, here is a partial list of free dev tools that may be affected:

1- Code::Blocks

2- Visual Studio C++ Express

3- Netbeans

4- Eclipse

5- QT Creator (useless on Win8 without a compiler)

6- Dev-C++ (It depends on MinGW, which is a wrapper on g++, but is outdated)

But, if you want to pay $500 for the use of VS11 then no problem. But, who is going to use the free Qt4 to write GPL apps for Win8 if they have to buy a $500 dev tool with no promise that it will integrate with Qt5 (no typo)? Unless, that is, some Philippe Kahn type comes along and offers the public a useful C++ compiler for Win8 for under $50.

I can't believe how Microsoft continues to shoot itself in the foot with Win8, beginning with a release which features HTML5 and delegates .NET to the shed out back, and makes Metro the main environment, an interface which is not winning the smartphone or tablet market space. In fact, it is turning consumers off, contrary to their PR machine which has cost MS over 1/2 BILLION Dollars.

So, whose going to jump on board and pay $500 in order to develop apps for Win8's "Metro" that they can sell in Microsoft's AppStore?

[tek_heretik]

Am not surprised, thanks for the great post.

[NickStone]

Thanks for the 'heads up' (I think that's the expression) but I am not very surprised that Microsoft are doing something like this because at the end of the day they are a money making machine and will do anything to make as much money for themselves. There is no money in it for them to offer free software that will benefit others and not themselves.

I am sure though that there will be some small software development company that will offer a cheaper alternative then when Microsoft see how successful it is will either buy out (merge) the company or offer an alternative themselves and market it as the best the better option.

[eggbert]

Bone headed move by MS for sure. I imagine this is going to leave a ton of developers out in the cold.

It's been a while since I messed with Visual Studio, or anything from MS really (Think the last version I used was Visual C++ 4!) Surely that's not the only compiler on windows these days, is it?

[GreyGeek]

...Surely that's not the only compiler on windows these days, is it?

The last time I checked the only FREE/GPL compilers available on Windows were the VS Express, which was limited to one year before it deactivated itself, and with hidden registry settings could not be re-installed even if you uninstalled it first, and, MinGW, a Windows wrapper on g++, which was used by most of the tools I mentioned in the OP. That's why I stated that free/GPL software development on Win8 was dead in the water unless someone wrote a free or affordable compiler for Win8. Without Microsoft's internal documentation and other help I doubt that anyone could. If such a compiler were written it must be free or very cheap, otherwise folks would lose their incentive to write FOSS/GPL software for Win8. So, for now, unless you give Microsoft $500 there is no compiler or tool chain in Win8 available which can support GPL Qt4 development.

Essentially it is just Microsoft closing off a development niche that wasn't generating any revenue for THEM, which they have the right to do, but in doing so now, considering what Matthew Tayler wrote:

From only the last couple of months:
1) Cutting out 'amateur' application developers on Win8.
2) Re-Jig the live/cloud offering (again!!!)
3) so.cl (yeah good luck with that.)
4) Crippling DVD on Win8.
5) $99 to remove crapware from new PCs.

their inability to rise above 2% in the smartphone market share,
and now this, one wonder's if they are trying to commit corporate suicide.

[tek_heretik]

their inability to rise above 2% in the smartphone market share,
and now this, one wonder's if they are trying to commit corporate suicide.

Nah, that is their trademark arrogance, part of the reason I became physically ill when I used to see their garbage come on my computer monitor when booting, lol, not anymore and never again. I was shocked when they let Ballmer the weirdo take over Microslop, as if it wasn't enough of a piranha. Maybe they are getting desperate in their final days and going after any dollar possible? I actually don't care, they are like a creepy and annoying neighbour you totally ignore and hope one day they will go away, lol.

[dequire]

they are like a creepy and annoying neighbour you totally ignore and hope one day they will go away, lol.

hehe +1

[jpenguin]

Surely that's not the only compiler on windows these days, is it?

The things I think of when I think of windoze compilers are

Visual Studio-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_Studio
OpenWatcom-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watcom_C_compiler
MiniGW-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MinGW
Borland C++ builder-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borland_C%2B%2B
Intel C++ Compiler-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_C%2B%2B_Compiler

I think all of these currently have a free versions available

[GreyGeek]

VS - As I pointed out in the OP, Microsoft is not offering the VS Express (free version of VS) on Win8.
OpenWatcom -- the last release was two years ago, the manual is FOUR years old.
MinGW -- Already mentioned it in OP.
Borland C++ Builder -- 5.5 C++ free, but too old, not supported. Good luck with that.
Intel C++ -- http://software.intel.com/en-us/arti...ware-download/ a viable choice if not time limited.

[vw72]

Essentially it is just Microsoft closing off a development niche that wasn't generating any revenue for THEM, which they have the right to do, but in doing so now, considering what Matthew Tayler wrote:

their inability to rise above 2% in the smartphone market share,
and now this, one wonder's if they are trying to commit corporate suicide.

Actually, I think it is to force all Windows development to move towards Metro. If you want to develop for Win7 and earlier, you need to buy the tools, whether for new development or maintenance. It makes sense for them since Win8 can run the Metro interface or the Win7 interface, but they want to move everybody to the Metro interface. What better way than only make the tools work with it?