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by pjmlp 3760 days ago
I never understood why Google didn't use Microsoft's approach of compiling it on the store.

WP 8.x only use a dynamic linker on the device.

WP 10 are fully compiled and linked on the store. Although the dynamic linker option is still there as well.
1 comments
vetinari 3759 days ago
Because the user doesn't have to use the store.

In Android, it is possible to use third-party stores or sideload apps. Or you can develop your own app totally offline.

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pjmlp 3759 days ago
> In Android, it is possible to use third-party stores or sideload apps.

In Windows Phone it is also possible to sideload.

> Or you can develop your own app totally offline.

You can compile .NET to native code via release builds, before deploying it to the Windows Phone.

It is only when you upload the appx to the store that MSIL is still used.

But I agree that with Windows Phone and now with iOS going bitcode as well, there isn't the issue of third party stores.

Still, nothing would prevent such stores to offer a server compiler service.

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vetinari 3759 days ago
> In Windows Phone it is also possible to sideload.

Good to know. I was under impression (since WP7 was a current OS, I admit) that you have to upload to MS/have it signed/download.

> Still, nothing would prevent such stores to offer a server compiler service.

Nothing prevents that technically. However, it would mean a tighter coupling between platform owner and majority store owner, Google probably wants to avoid that. It could destroy the open-source nature of Android, since for now the Play Store is layered above open-source platform; this compiler would not fit there, it would have to go below, into the layer that is currently open source.

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