14 DAY TRIAL // Windows 8 will bring to the table an overhauled application experience not just for end-users, but also for developers. While details on the upcoming iteration of the Windows client are still being kept under a tight lid in Redmond, some information does manage to find its way in the wild.
Case in point: AppX, a new model for app packaging and deployment which will be introduced in Windows vNext.
Recently, Rafael Rivera and Paul Thurrott revealed the new Modern Reader for PDF files from an early development milestone of Windows 8.
With Modern Reader, the software giant provides an example of its upcoming AppX packaged application model.
Applications delivered as AppX packages will be controlled via AppXManifest.xml, revealed Long Zheng, with a variety of the app’s characteristics described in the XML manifest file.
The first conclusion that can be drawn from the little details on AppX already available is that this deployment packaging model will make possible universal applications.
Well, universal as long as they are designed to run on Windows 8, it’s spin-offs as well as leverage additional Microsoft technologies such as Windows Presentation Foundation and Silverlight. Also, it appears that AppX will even span to Cloud applications.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed that AppX will make it possible for applications to target Windows 8 across a variety of form factors, from PCs to slates, but this remains to be seen.
Still, it does appear that Microsoft’s vision of the Windows 8 App Store is contouring nicely, although this is speculation on my part.
I did a little digging on AppX, came across a job posting from the Redmond company which reveals that AppX is the responsibility of the Application Experience team.
While the info provided is somewhat generic, the company does mention AppX in the context of both desktop and web applications. Here it is:
“The Application Experience test team has an exciting career opportunity for an experienced Software Developer in Test to work on a cool problem space!
“The Windows AppX team is working on winning developer’s mind share and having a seamless application user experience to help drive the success of the Windows business. How would you like to work on solutions to hard problems that impact both Windows developers and Windows end-users?
“The AppX team is tasked with defining the modern application experience for Windows developers and end-users. We want to enable the best rich client experience on Windows and make Windows the premier platform for the standards web and enable developers to write amazing web applications on Windows.” (emphasis added)
On a more personal note, I hope that Windows 8’s Modern Reader for PDF files will survive into the RTM Build of the OS. I’d love for Microsoft to provide an alternative to Adobe Reader since I’m sick of having to tip toe my way around PDF files due to the attacks targeting this format.
And yes, I know that Adobe has been working on improving the security of its products, including introducing sandboxing technology (Adobe Reader X (10.0)), but it still feels like something along the lines of “better late than never” to me, and I’m ready to try something new.
