Windows 10 S, Project Centennial and Developers

With the release of the new Surface Laptop came the announcement that meet another edition of Windows was upon us.

When Windows 8 appeared, Microsoft, made another pivot in how software for its platform would be developed. The Universal Windows Platform (UWP) arrived. And while it offered all sorts of goodies – such as better security – it was hampered by the way it worked with users. In short, the Metro interface was not widely embraced. While Microsoft tried to get us all onboard with a Start Button-less version of Windows, we had embraced the Start Button for 27 years by then. And, as one famous French king once said “the peasants are revolting”.

So, here we are today. And the news for developers today is that Windows 10 S represents a watershed moment. Because Win32 is finally being euthanised once and for all. Well, kind of – it’s being moved to the Centennial Nursing Home.

Windows 10 S and developers

Windows 10 S enforces the curated Windows Market as the only place where users can access software. It’s why Apple has announced that there will be a new version of the festering pile of horse ca-ca that is iTunes for Windows.

Win32 apps can’t be distributed through the Windows Store. And the arrival of a version of Windows (like the failed Windows RT before it) that can’t load applications that aren’t developed using specific, secure tools is a sign that the legacy of Bill Gates’ Trustworthy Computing memo still lives on.

For developers, there are some options.

During the Build conference, happening this week in Seattle, Distinguished engineer John Sheehan said that with Win32, apps don’t really exist. Program installers just vomit files into your system. “We really got it mixed up with Win32. We kinda let you do anything,” Sheehan said.

Project Centennial remedies that for some Win32 applications. It allows developers to repackage their Win32 and .NET software into app-like packages. It bears some similarity to App-V – which I’ve used for distributing older apps with one of my past clients – but allows applications to interact with UWP and other parts of the operating system.

However, as they operate in isolation from other applications, they deliver security and reliability benefits.

Of course, the heralds an opportunity for developers to get in early and reap the gold rush as they can offer useful applications before larger developers jump in. By developing today in UWP, developers can get their apps into the Windows Store. So, if you can build a better Twitter client in UWP, now might be the time to jump in before an official one corners the market.

Are you a developer? What do you see as the next step for you? Will you be repackaging your existing Win32 apps or will you start porting to UWP?


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