Joseph Finney, a key figure in WPF's open-source transition, dives into the exciting resurgence of Windows Presentation Foundation. He shares insights from Microsoft’s recent Build event, highlighting new support for a Windows 11 theme that transforms WPF apps with just a line of code. The discussion touches on the minimal development history since its 2018 open-sourcing, the evolution towards modern UI controls, and the competitive landscape with technologies like Blazor and Win App SDK, showcasing WPF’s relevance today.
WPF is experiencing a revival with Microsoft's renewed focus, including new theming resources that align applications with Windows 11 aesthetics.
The open-source nature of WPF since 2018 has fostered community-driven frameworks that enhance its functionality despite minimal official updates.
The discussions surrounding WPF's future highlight the challenges of balancing community innovation with corporate governance in open-source projects.
Deep dives
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Blazor Masterclass in Tuscany
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Upcoming NDC Conferences
The NDC conference schedule for 2024 has been announced, with events planned in several key locations, including the Copenhagen Developers Festival and NDC Porto. These conferences provide valuable networking opportunities for developers and feature a range of sessions led by industry professionals. Early registration discounts are available, encouraging interested attendees to secure their spots and interact with fellow developers. These gatherings aim to keep the developer community informed about the latest trends and technologies.
WPF's Return and New Developments
The announcement concerning WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation) highlights its resurgence and the introduction of new features aimed at modernizing existing applications. The introduction of a new theming resource allows developers to easily update their WPF apps to align visually with Windows 11. This revitalization acknowledges the longstanding user base of WPF while also fixing previous pain points related to aesthetics and functionality. Such enhancements are expected to make foundational changes in how developers approach their application designs moving forward.
The Role of Open Source in Software Development
The ongoing conversation about open source in the software community emphasizes the delicate balance between community-driven projects and corporate involvement from big tech companies like Microsoft. While open source enables faster innovation and improvement, there are challenges when large organizations adopt these tools, especially concerning maintainership and contributor motivations. Developers must navigate these complexities and consider the longevity of projects, especially as corporate interests may change over time. This landscape underscores the need for clarity in project goals and the future direction of open source technologies.
What's happening with WPF? Carl and Richard talk to Joseph Finney about the news from Build about WPF - it's back, baby! But did it ever go away? Joe talks about how WPF was made open source in 2018 and how minimal development was done there - enough so that the community started building frameworks to support it, including WPFUI and ModernWPF. But at Build, Microsoft announced a new focus on WPF, including creating support for a Windows 11 theme - with a line of code, you can make your WPF app look like a Windows 11 app. Where does this leave WinApp SDK? What about migrations? There's lots to talk about!
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