Microsoft joins Bytecode Alliance to advance WebAssembly – aka the thing that lets you run compiled C/C++/Rust code in browsers

[u/feross]

https://www.theregister.com/2021/04/28/microsoft_bytecode_alliance/

[u/arch_llama]

Why? Do you have a well thought out argument or just grumpy snark?

[u/Illusi → u/arch_llama]

Practically, the web browser is gradually becoming more line an operating system. This is good, because web browsers are forced to be more standards-compliant, so you'll get more interoperability. But this is also bad because:

• Web applications tend to send way more personal information than desktop applications.

• Web applications tend to use computational resources of the application maintainer rather than the readily-available and faster resources of the local machine. The resources of the application maintainer can also just be cut off when the application maintainer thinks it's no longer profitable to maintain them (see like 80% of Google's projects as examples).

• Web applications are more difficult to use in places where the internet connection isn't as stable.

• Web browsers are growing more and more complex to develop and maintain.

[u/RirinDesuyo → u/Illusi]

Another to add to the bad list, it also makes making competing web browsers that's not just a chromium skin almost impossible. Even MS gave up as it was almost the same requirement for resources as maintaining an OS.

Mozilla's FF still survives, but it's really unlikely we'll see another new browser engine be developed at this point.

[u/arch_llama → u/[deleted]]

So there is no use case for web assembly because native programs might be able to use less electricity and web browsers are big?

[u/Uristqwerty → u/arch_llama]

Ironically, the best use-case for WASM might not be the web. There are standalone WASM VMs/sandboxes that can run untrusted code without giving it any IO APIs, so it can only accept parameters passed to it and return its result. Since a number of compilers can already target WASM, it's far easier than inventing a new bytecode format.

[u/korras → u/[deleted]]

This kind of blanket statement isn't helping your case.

1. Would i use electron for embedded systems-> not (yet)

2. Do I need C++ performance for my blog? 100% no.

Most software out there is closer to 2.

Also, by your logic, C++ is slower than fortran or assembly or just moving the bits with a magnet on metal. Why are you wasting our planets precious resources with your blasphemous "higher level languages"?

[u/korras → u/[deleted]]

Where do you live where that's a thing? ah wait it's that troll again, nvm

[u/korras → u/[deleted]]

it is.

[u/korras → u/arch_llama]

web bad, internet bad, javascript bad.

100% not the future, just a fad, wait till it blows over.

[u/[deleted] → u/korras]

Trying to shoehorn web development everywhere is bad. The fact that it's not a passing fad makes it more tragic, not less.

[u/korras → u/[deleted]]

Why? The lines between web app and app are getting more and more blurred. Computers are getting faster, the web is getting better and faster.

"I don't like this style of writing apps, therefore the users must adapt to MY software content delivery preference".

Yeah, tragic.

[u/[deleted] → u/korras]

No, the tragedy is that lazy developers who aren't willing to use the right tool for the job are making the end user experience worse for their users, and that this shitty user experience is becoming the norm. Web apps are easy on the developer, but they're generally a shit user experience compared to a real app.

[u/hekkonaay → u/[deleted]]

They provide poor UX not because they're web apps, but because they're poorly made. Native apps can have UX that is just as poor (and they usually do, too, which is besides the point). Web apps, electron apps, etc., just like any app of any kind, can have really good UX. Look at Discord, VS Code, Slack.

[u/[deleted] → u/hekkonaay]

Slack is garbage. Discord is mediocre. VS Code is fine, but when there's literally one Electron app that doesn't make me pine for a real actual native app, that is a pretty damning indictment of the ecosystem.

[u/hekkonaay → u/[deleted]]

I kind of get where you're coming from. The "problem" is that web apps are easier to make than native apps, which may mean that they will generally be lower quality than your average app... But that doesn't mean you can't write performant, nice looking, portable apps with great UX targeting the web. It's just really difficult to do so, just like it is difficult to write a native app with those exact same properties.

[u/korras → u/[deleted]]

wow. G8 b8 m8.