Letters from Readers
Readers Respond: Of C++ and HTML 5
The language and library improvements outlined in Sumit Kumar's April 2010 article, "The Evolution of C++ in Visual Studio 2010," didn't alleviate a few readers' perceptions that C# and Visual Basic will win out at the expense of Visual C++/CLI.
This release is in fact an attempt by Microsoft [to] try to destroy C++. They want to force everyone to use the sluggish, interpreted and sick C# and Visual Basic .NET. It doesn't work that way. Visual C++/CLI without IntelliSense is garbage. I'd rather stick to my Visual C++ 2008 or move to other C++ compilers and IDEs.
Atoo
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There is no word that .NET will be forced upon you while using Visual C++. You'll still be able to use native C++. [Microsoft Foundation Classes] as well as managed C++ are optional. This article is about anguage/library improvements—native C++ library and compiler improvements.
Marcus
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Semantics of HTML 5
Andrew Brust's May 2010 Redmond Review column "The HTML 5 Standard: Innovation or Oxymoron?" got a mixed reaction.
I have a tough time considering Silverlight when I've seen some really great demos of HTML 5. In addition, Silverlight doesn't work on the iPad or iPhone. I'm sticking with making great Web apps via HTML and [Model-View-Controller] before jumping into Silverlight, which only really works well with Internet Explorer.
Sam
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What the hell does this mean? "Its enhancements to pure Web applications will impact ASP.NET. But perhaps most importantly, the standards process around HTML 5 may factionalize the Web and diminish compatibility between IE and the four other major browsers. Increased testing burdens could result, keeping you at work longer or raising your development costs."
HTML 5 is complementary to ASP.NET. IE9 will support HTML 5, and therefore IE9 will be very compatible with many of the current browsers when it ships. In fact, compatibility may even improve thanks to HTML 5.
Anonymous
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Andrew Brust responds:
IE9 will support HTML 5. That's what piqued my interest in it in the first place. The issue is that the very definition of HTML 5 is not hard and fast. Given the WHATWG versus W3C dynamic -- and the lack of consensus it may engender -- some browsers may implement different feature sets from others. Whose will be the "true" HTML 5? I don't know. But as long as they're different, it's an issue and a potential expense.
About the Author
This story was written or compiled based on feedback from the readers of Visual Studio Magazine.