Microsoft Struggles to Stay Relevant in Windows 10

Held back by unsuccessful attempts to penetrate the mobile market, Microsoft gears up for its latest strategy. The new Microsoft aims to build universal apps that work on all its devices. The future of the company lies not only in consumer acceptance but also in how they are viewed by developers. A common complaint many programmers have is that Microsoft often abandons their own standards. Always grasping to keep up with trends it deems a threat, Microsoft has a reputation of sometimes throwing away the baby with the bathwater. In the early days, that meant forgetting about MS-DOS and accepting Windows. Not long afterwards, it also came to mean rewriting many applications as Visual Basic became engulfed by the .net platform. Today, we find ourselves in a similar predicament as radical changes to Windows and a lack of sufficient APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) leaves many developers befuddled.

With some possible good news on the horizon, Microsoft appears to be making progress. The return of the Start menu in Windows 10 and apps that no longer force you into full screen mode are just some examples. The ability to build universal apps across all their devices is also greatly appealing but it still leaves developers with a dilemma. Should I write apps for the Windows mobile device market and get in early or stick with conventions and try to edge in on the already overcrowded Apple and Android device markets? A better solution is to use a single tool that allows cross platform app development on Android, iOS and Windows devices. Although these emulators do exist, they typically offer less functionality than a person would have writing apps specifically for each specific platform. Unfortunately, that requires learning Objective-C for iOS, Java for Android and the .net language of choice for Windows devices. Many developers would prefer the one shoe size fits all approach but will Microsoft continue to support it? Only time will tell.

Sources:

http://www.theverge.com/2015/4/27/8503035/microsoft-build-2015-developer-conference-preview
http://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-windows-10-will-offer-software-creators-more-support-universal-apps

See Also:

Please visit our online store at OfficeSalesUSA.com where you can shop for the latest techno-gadgets as well as office supplies and furniture. We offer fast, friendly support from a knowledgeable staff with 3 generations of experience selling business supplies, office furniture, printing and related services.