On a related note, Dropbox used C++ for their Android/iOS apps - http://oleb.net/blog/2014/05/how-dropbox-uses-cplusplus-cross-platform-development/
On 24 October 2014 15:22, Michael Ridland <[email protected]> wrote: > > http://ionicframework.com/ > > > On Fri, Oct 24, 2014 at 3:22 PM, Michael Ridland <[email protected]> wrote: > >> >> ... but that said, Xamarin is pretty heavy weight, it's s big learning >> curve.. if you want something lightweight and 'pretty' good you should try >> out Ionic... >> >> >> >> >> On Fri, Oct 24, 2014 at 3:19 PM, Michael Ridland <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >>> >>> Go Xamarin it's the best! (Opinion may be bias www.michaelridland.com) >>> >>> Traditional Xamarin (Native API) as the platform is awesome and solid >>> and fast, the IDE and some of the tools around it can be a bit buggy. >>> Xamarin.Forms is pretty early, and can be frustrating but I have build some >>> XPlat app pretty rapidly with it. >>> >>> Actually I'm doing a 'Introduction to Xamarin' at SydMobile in a few >>> weeks, you should come along I'd love to answer any questions you have. >>> http://www.meetup.com/SydMobile/ >>> >>> Below is a unpublished blog post on why you should use Xamarin... >>> >>> *Should I use Xamarin for Mobile Development? YES you should!* >>> >>> In my opinion you'd be insane if you didn't use Xamarin for mobile >>> development. Many people don't know what they're missing out on by not >>> using Xamarin so I'm going to highlight some reasons I think people >>> should be using Xamarin. >>> 1) It's Native but with 80%+ code share? >>> >>> So for those that aren't aware of Xamarin or how it works, Xamarin allows >>> you to develop apps for iOS, Android and Mac from a single code base. When >>> I say this I don't mean in a webview or customised API, it actually usesthe >>> Native APIs. So when developing you use UITableView which is the same >>> API that a native developer would be using. >>> 2) C# and F# are Modern languages >>> >>> C# might not be the hipster language of the year it is a continually >>> evolving language with solid features like type interference, dynamic >>> types, language integrated query (LINQ), async/await and first class >>> functions. C# is designed for developing large robust applications. >>> >>> And for the functional types there's F#, which from what I've been told >>> it's like scala but faster and better thought out. >>> >>> I'd argue they're better languages than java, javascript and >>> objective-c... and seeing that they're currently the only languages with >>> built in async you could say their even better than swift... >>> 3) async/await >>> >>> .. 'wait but javascript is all async' i hear you say... C#/F# >>> async/await is different to what people normally think async is. C#/F# >>> async/await tackles the callback hell problems in rich clients, anyone who >>> works with rich clients will know of these problems. This is a problem >>> that's attempted to be solved with promises and generators but neither are >>> at the level of async/await. >>> >>> Here's a little before/after sample: >>> >>> *Before:* >>> >>> doAsync1(function () { >>> >>> doAsync2(function () { >>> >>> doAsync3(function () { >>> >>> doAsync4(function () { >>> }) >>> }) >>> }) >>> }) >>> >>> *After:* >>> >>> await doAsync1() >>> await doAsync2() >>> await doAsync3() >>> await doAsync4() >>> 4) Watches, Google Glass wearables and the future of devices. >>> >>> In case you haven't noticed the future isn't just mobiles it's >>> wearables, devices and IOT. Xamarin has same day support for all these >>> platforms including android wear, google glass, Amazon TV and more. As I've >>> said beforeXamarin uses the Native APIs and compiles down to native >>> so using Xamarin you're in the perfect position develop all modern >>> platforms. >>> 5) It's ready now! >>> >>> All the time I hear people say 'html is a fast moving target' or 'it >>> will get there eventually'. Xamarin is here now, it's Native and it's >>> cross platform. Why wait to have a great app when you can have it now and >>> as a bonus know that your application is future proof for future devices. >>> 6) It's fast and stable >>> >>> From personal experience the Xamarin traditional (Xamarin.iOS and >>> Xamarin.Android) platform is solid, fast and stable. You'd be hard >>> pressed to find a problem with the core parts of the platform, any app bugs >>> will probably be your own bugs. >>> 7) Documentation >>> >>> The documentation for Xamarin is solid, it's generally better than the >>> Apple and Android documentation. >>> 8) Xamarin.Forms >>> >>> So how about 100% codeshare and still be Native? Xamarin.Forms allows >>> you to program against a single API and have that single API mapped to >>> native controls on each platform. Hanselman describes it well, 'Write Once >>> Run Everywhere AND Be Native'. >>> >>> It's still early days for the product but the top component developers >>> like Telerik and DevExpress are already developing components for >>> Xamarin.Forms. >>> 9) It's the best of all worlds (Hybrid and Native) >>> >>> If you've taken a look at my Xamarin mashup blog >>> <http://www.michaelridland.com/mobile/asp-net-mvc-xamarin-mashups/> you'd >>> already know that the possibilities with Xamarin are vast, you can >>> essential create your own Cordova and you can completely integrate it with >>> your C# Mvvm/c# Native Code. So you have the full power of the .net >>> framework to build your client application architecture which becomes very >>> useful when you have complex requirements like Offline. >>> 10) Large Community >>> >>> Xamarin uses the .net framework and because of this it's inherited the >>> pre-existing community, this means that even though it's a fairly new >>> platform we already have support for Awesome projects like Json.net, Fody >>> and ReactiveExtensions/ReactiveUI. >>> 11) Profitable Innovative Company >>> >>> Xamarin as a company has a passion for enabling mobile developers to >>> deliver leading experiences. Their products cost money Yes but it's good >>> for us, I see many people complain about the pricing but Xamarin charging >>> money for products allows them to put money back into building amazing >>> products for us. This year at EvolveXamarin released some great new >>> products, a Analytics Cloud Service, a faster Android emulator and a >>> performance profiler. In the future Xamarin is on the rise and this >>> means our tools are only going to get better and better. >>> >>> This is why I choose Xamarin and I think you should too.... >>> >>> If you have any questions regarding Xamarin or need any help please >>> contact me I'm always happy to help. >>> >>> Thanks >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> On Fri, Oct 24, 2014 at 2:58 PM, Stuart Kinnear <[email protected]> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> I've got a bit of free time so I'm starting to play around with mobile >>>> development and getting somewhat bewildered with the options offered. >>>> >>>> The dream is to knock up a business style app that will allow >>>> persistence of data to the local database eg. sqlite then a transfer to a >>>> base server. >>>> >>>> Looked at Android dev kit, and that is OK but of course that strikes >>>> out Ios & Windows. >>>> >>>> Looked at PhoneGap/Cordova and got infuriated by the simple task of >>>> posting data (jsonp is a bit of a security risk in my books) >>>> >>>> Early last year I did play with Xamarin and found it unstable, crashing >>>> at a whim. Is it worth giving it another go, or should I just suck it up >>>> and work on platform specific development tools. >>>> >>>> -- >>>> >>>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>>> Stuart Kinnear >>>> Mobile: 040 704 5686. Office: 03 9589 6502 >>>> >>>> SK Pro-Active! Pty Ltd >>>> acn. 81 072 778 262 >>>> PO Box 6082 Cromer, Vic 3193. Australia >>>> >>>> Business software developers. >>>> SQL Server, Visual Basic, C# , Asp.Net, Microsoft Office. >>>> >>>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>>> >>> >>> >> >
