Development on Windows 8 platform. A general discussion.

1. Aneeb Khawar
Computer Science Junior
GIK Institute
Development on Windows 8
Platform
The Topic :

2. 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.

3. 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

4. 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 !

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. Introduction to Windows 8 applications
So 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.

9. 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.

10. Why develop for Windows 8 devices ?
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

11. Why develop for Windows 8 devices ?
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)

12. Why develop for Windows 8 devices ?
• 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

13. Why develop for Windows 8 devices ?
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.

14. Why develop for Windows 8 devices ?
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

15. Why develop for Windows 8 devices ?
5. Great tracking of your work:
• The App summary enables developers to literally
oversee their progress
• Provides valuable feedback for betterment

16. Why develop for Windows 8 devices ?
• 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

17. Why develop for Windows 8 devices ?
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

18. Why develop for Windows 8 devices ?
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

19. 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.

20. Microsoft’s initiatives for developers
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

21. Microsoft’s initiatives for developers
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

22. Microsoft’s initiatives for developers
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

23. Microsoft’s initiatives for developers
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

24. Microsoft’s initiatives for developers
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

25. 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.

26. How steep is the learning curve ?
• 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

27. How steep is the learning curve ?
• 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

28. How steep is the learning curve ?
So how steep is the learning curve ?
Not so much provided you are willing to go the extra
mile

29. 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

30. 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.

31. 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

32. The technical perspective
• 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.

33. The technical perspective
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

34. 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.

35. The technical perspective
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.

36. 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

37. 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

38. And that would be all
Thank you