I've often dreamed of this, especially when it seemed all too obvious for MS to release an Android phone; then again after ubuntu/bash on Windows. But whereas it seems like a golden opportunity for MS, it would essentially be Google handing keys to a mobile realm to MS. Short of a super-deal on desktop I don't see what's in it for Google to enter such a partnership (and Bing vs Gsearch, or countless other frontal rivalries, isn't conducive to a desktop alliance, notwithstanding the predictable end/shift of desktop as a category/paradigm). Nothing beyond scope-limited projects like TS between MS and G, as I see it currently.

What's more likely these days is Google entering the desktop space (x86) by merging it with mobile (e.g. Andromeda). Pretty sure that OS could grab 30% of new laptops in a heartbeat (think: almost free for manufacturers: no Win license).

Meanwhile, I'm pretty sure Apple will do its thing (did they fix Gmail on Mail yet?) Though I think Swift, if it were in "the state of C#/.NET" as worded above, would eventually become a great candidate for a high level common language. Somehow I don't think Apple is trying, their open-sourcing seems to end at "reassurance" (stacks can't die if you can maintain the packages, b/c oss, yay).

C++? https://www.embarcadero.com/products/cbuilder

Or for something more like C#, Delphi? https://www.embarcadero.com/products/delphi

Both these platforms, which include a cross-platform UI library including native controls, are Windows, iOS, Android, macOS, and Linux in the next release.

The thing with C++ is that it's a hard language. I understand the power for low level stuff, and it is available already. But for 99% of apps, a higher level language like java or c# is really what we need.

Even C# is starting to show its age. Perhaps it's the occasion to reboot it. Start from scratch based on modern concepts with a truly cross-platform language.

With support from Microsoft + Google + Apple, and cross platform across Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS and Android, adoption would go to 100% (or 11!) on month 1.

A pipe dream for me would be if that common language were a lisp.

I think it should be BrainFuck rather

What's wrong with Vue.js/TypeScript/ES6/Weex(native) or React/TypeScript/ES6/Native? It's no C#, but it's modern, performant, crossplatform and can be OS themed.

I'm only familiar with TypeScript. It is adding types to javascript, which is welcomed. But that doesn't make up for a lot of the uglyness of the language. Javascript was never meant to be anything else than a way to open porn popups ads and it shows.

But even C# is starting to show its age and would deserved a reboot. If we agree on a truly cross platform language, we might as well make it modern and simple, with great tooling. That does mean breaking backward compatibility with older languages but the benefits of having a common language way offset the cost of retraining developers.