Developing for Windows 8 based devices

Aneeb KhawarComputer Science Junior

GIK Institute

Development on Windows 8

Platform

The Topic :

Choice of Topic

• The topic is fairly comprehensive and will be

conveyed in an appraising manner.

• Objective is to predispose the interest of audience

towards windows 8 development.

• Disseminate a good amount of knowledge packed

content in limited time and that too in a convincing

manner.

Agenda

• Introduction to Windows 8 applications

• Why develop for Windows 8 devices ?

• Microsoft’s generous initiatives for

developers

• How steep is the learning curve ?

• The right tools for job

• Development advantages from technical

perspective

Introduction to Windows 8 applications• The introduction of Windows 8 has positively changed the

concept of a windows based application.

• From the exterior UI to internal design details, everything

has been revamped.

Say hello to modernity with the touch of elegance !

Introduction to Windows 8 applications• Extensive UI redo is the first noticeable feature.

• It can be ascribed to presenting a more user

friendly environment to touch devices.

• Convenience of the conventional non-touch user

has however been maintained (switching to

desktop mode).

• The implementation details and internal design

has also been altered with (More on that later).

• Devices that work on Windows platform include

smart phones, tablets and PCs.

• It is this versatility of this platform that makes it

all the more desirable.

Introduction to Windows 8 applications• The applications for devices are uploaded at the

relevant Stores from where the users can

download the apps of their liking with ease.

• Dedication of a platforms like Windows store and

Windows Phone store for the apps is also an

unprecedented investment of its kind.

Introduction to Windows 8 applications• The Windows stores are a work of art. With

optimized search engines, finding apps is piece

of cake.

• Surfacing the best apps has been made easy

with features like spotlight section.

• Interest specific apps can also be found with

ease based on the previous downloads as

recommendations.

• The store only hosts applications that meet all

the quality standards.

• Apps that fail the extensive screening procedure

are rejected.

• It is due to this strict quality control policy that

only the most genuine apps are there at the

store.

Introduction to Windows 8 applicationsSo long story short,

• the Windows 8 based applications be it phone,

tablet or PC are unique and interactive by design

• promise the highest degree of authenticity

• are further enhanced by the outstanding reach

of windows store that announces them globally.

Moving on to our next point.

Why develop for Windows 8 devices ?

• The obvious question.

• Asked by everyone from a college sophomore to

a seasoned developer.

• There are numerous fronts to address this query

on.

Lets build on them one by one.


1. Easy transitioning:

• The transitioning is fairly straight forward

• Basic coding practices remain the same

• Flexibility - Offers a wide array of languages

(HTML5/CSS3, DirectX/C++ and XAML/C#) to

work with makes things easy.

• Designing made easier with powerful tools


2. Market benefits:

• Offers a new and rising market.

• Avid chance for new developers to establish

• No saturation – even the most basic of apps

have a fair chance

• The numbers:

Windows Phone to gather 7% of smartphone market by 2018

(IDC)

Market comparison b/w Microsoft Windows and other OS’


• With the potential possibility of complete

transfer from Windows 7 to Windows 8, the

windows 8 based devices will by far be

numerically greater than all other devices

COMBINED.

• New devices rolling out with inbuilt Windows 8

OS by the day.

• Windows – the recommendation of

manufacturers

• 100 Million licenses sold in 6 months ! (same

trend as Windows 7)

• 40% increase in app downloads from the store


3. The Awesome Windows and Windows Phone

stores:

• Probably the most encouraging feature

• Reach to more than 200 countries made possible

• Apps have never been easier to find -

Discoverability

• Aesthetics unparalleled

• Serves as the perfect advertisement of your app

with its outlook

• Categorized properly

• Relatively lesser competition yet quality not

compromised due to screening procedures.


4. Effective business models:

• The stores offer a variety of business models to

choose from

• Free , Paid , Free with Adds , Trial , in-app

purchases and even free with donate developer

option


5. Great tracking of your work:

• The App summary enables developers to literally

oversee their progress

• Provides valuable feedback for betterment


• Serves as a tool for motivation

• Automatic progress monitoring reduces

developer workload

• Data can be used to predict user interests hence

creating ground for reasonable ideas


6. Monetarily best suited:

• Reasonable liberty to choose the price for

developer

• Developer to get 70% of the revenue share like

other stores

• On making the 25k USD mark, developer to get

80% of the revenue

• Essentially a token of appreciation from Microsoft

• a practice credited to Microsoft only


7. Extensive documentation and blog support:

• The Microsoft Developer Network

• Comprehensive content on literally everything

relevant

• Extensive self-explanatory code examples

• Online courses on MS Virtual Academy

• Blogs proving to be outstanding assistance

• Support from platforms not specific to Windows

8 development due to framework similarity

Microsoft’s initiatives for developers

Some insight now about the initiatives for

developers under the patronage of Microsoft.

• Targeting two different communities

• The students and new startups

Lets see what they have to offer.


The DreamSpark :

• Exclusively for students

• Currently operational in more than 80 countries

• Provides the top notch software in the world free

of cost!

• Removes the pinching expenditure factor from

the minds of enthusiastic student developers

• Enables them to get hands on experience of the

development tools which makes it easier to

adapt professionally later on


What do you need to avail the DreamSpark

facility ?

• The DreamSpark account of course

• Verification of your being a student via the

institution or ID based verification

• Once verified, you are all set to get your hands

on some great software for free


The possible outcomes of DreamSpark program :

• Transformation of the student body in to

technically well versed individuals

• Increase in the number of Apps at the store

• Giving life to new a idea which might turn out to

be the next big thing


The BizSpark :

• Provides technology and support to promising

startups

• Provides the startups with an opportunity to

have the elite Microsoft tools without any

expense

• Extends support from sign up to the publishing

of app

• App promotion in the ever increasing BizSpark

community for free


Some facts about the program :

• Support to 100,000 (and counting) start ups

delivered

• 1500+ partnering to the program

• 165+ countries have been reached

• 35,000 graduates have been entertained

• The program has had its impact for over 5 years

now

• Collaborations between startups and formation

of an informed community

How steep is the learning curve ?

How much learning should one already have and

how much more does one have to know ?

Lets present some rational arguments and see if

they address the issue.

• Gives the first scares

• The question is valid particularly for the students

who intend to develop for the Windows 8 devices

and are unfamiliar with it.

• It is also valid for developers who intend to make

a shift from some other platform to Windows 8.


• The Windows 8 development has been made

flexible

• Supporting a wide array of languages which

include C++ , VB and C# with the combination

of XAML for the UI building OR JavaScript along

with some HTML5 and CSS

• Most of the students are adequately capable to

work with one of these options at least

• For those who are not, there exists a fair deal of

resource to learn from


• The general coding practices are to remain the

same

• Making a shift from some other platform too is

not as tricky as it may seem

Consider the following breakdown :

• .NET developers can adapt like a charm bringing

to use their skills of C# or VB development

• Web developers can do fine with JavaScript for

the coding and HTML/CSS for the design

• C++ developers can make it with the same ease

thanks to formidable Visual Studio


So how steep is the learning curve ?

Not so much provided you are willing to go the

extra mile

The right tools for job

Microsoft provides great tools for development.

The development tools from Microsoft are the best

according to many.

So what is required to start ?

• Depends on the forum you have chosen to

develop for.

• Windows 8.1 SDK that comes in as a part of the

OS

• Windows phone SDK that has in it the Windows

Phone Emulator

• On top of everything else there is the powerful

Visual Studio

The right tools for job

The Visual Studio IDE:

• The best bet for .NET development with powerful

features for Windows 8

• Conventional features relevant to general

programing include IntelliSense, refactoring tool

for renaming, automatic code formatting, backed

by numerous extensions and many other

features that make it desirable

• Coming to Windows 8 specific features, the

Blend that comes with Visual Studio has

established a repute of the great XAML designer

that operates at a blazing speed.

The technical perspective

Lets get into some technical details of Windows 8

applications and see if they depict any efficiency.

Application Life Cycle:

• The not running state is when the application is

yet to start and ‘it is no where in the memory’

• App activation and transitioning to running

state

• Checks the previous execution state and

resumes it if its there


• The suspended state is when the user closes

the application, the state is saved to resume

from the same point at a later stage

• Terminated Or Close state is when the

application state in memory is removed which

completely shuts it down.


Complete separation of UI from App logic:

• Increases code reusability as the code is not UI

design specific

• Developers to code and designers to design

• Makes thing tidier and simpler

• Achieved through the MVVM design pattern

The MVVM design pattern:

• Confirms separation of App logic from UI

The technical perspective• The View is UI page created with

XAML. It may consist of multiple

pages that are to be linked together.

• Model serves as the data element

that is to be presented in the View.

for instance, a picture would be the

Model of a pictures album app.

• View Model can be thought of as the logical layer

that combines the View and Model together.


Code sharing:

• Code sharing between different devices

• Possible due to similar .NET engine

• The concept of sharing has redefined versatility

There obviously are many technical advantages

associated to the Windows 8 platform. Discussing

them all in depth however is not the scope of this

presentation.

Recapitulating the key points• With the introduction of Windows 8 concept,

Apps have been taken to a whole new level

• Windows 8 has everything to offer be it phones ,

PCs or tablets

• Developers have every reason to come onboard

considering all the benefits being offered

• The market is rich and unsaturated

• Store is great

• Encouraging initiatives from Microsoft

Recapitulating the key points• Can do with even a basic understanding of

programming in general

• Tools are great and can be acquired for free

through the Microsoft Initiatives

• The Apps are technically sound

And that would be all

Thank you

Date post:	04-Aug-2015
Category:	Technology
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Developing for Windows 8 based devices

Technology