Re:Ask HN: Why doesn't Microsoft build its own Android “fork”?
by hacker_9 on Monday October 09, 2017 @12:26PM
(#15435220)
Alternatively why not build a transpiler for android apps? Java -> C# would be quite doable, and then just style the APIs and UI layouts similiar but too similar to end up in court. Then what dev wouldn't have a go if the process could be 90% automated? Instead they stayed in their own bubble of custom tech that didn't bring anything particularly revolutionary to the table, and failed to attract attention as a result.
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Re:Ask HN: Why doesn't Microsoft build its own Android “fork”?
by enos on Monday October 09, 2017 @12:37PM
(#15435300)
Microsoft was on the other side of such a scheme when OS/2 got the ability to run Windows apps. That's when you stopped getting native OS/2 apps, because why write one when the Windows one works on both?
Re:Ask HN: Why doesn't Microsoft build its own Android “fork”?
by Skunkleton on Monday October 09, 2017 @12:49PM
(#15435412)
Android apps aren't strictly java, and they don't depend on open frameworks. Rather, they are built in a combination of languages and depend largely on googles proprietary frameworks.
Re:Ask HN: Why doesn't Microsoft build its own Android “fork”?
by hacker_9 on Monday October 09, 2017 @12:51PM
(#15435435)
Sure but the other languages such as C++ could be directly supported. The APIS could be copied and renamed. Not hard to duplicate the functionality without seeing the internals, just time consuming.