[rvnx]

Quite amazing solution. From the .hta file you can see it was inspired by VBScript (whose most popular software is ILOVEYOU I guess).

It looks like the ultimate hack, but why not ? It's very creative and the intention is good as well: TypeScript/JavaScript is a very popular language. Though C#.NET is great as well.

It could make sense in the very long-term that Microsoft themselves explore this possibility.

Ultimately "TypeScript.NET or JavaScript.NET"

[karpour]

Look up WinJS sometime! It was a really neat idea that MS sadly abandoned.

[h335ian]

+1 - that was a really cool idea that I really was hopeful would take off.

[_boffin_]

What about just straight jscript?

[h335ian]

This stuff pre-dates .NET and quite honestly I think that’s what m$ was going for in those early days. VBScript was pretty annoying and dealing with COM objects sucked badly. Back in the day we’d build in a local VB interop with JavaScript so we could make system calls and interact with native Windows stuffs. This predates JSON so at the time we’d use XmlHttpRpc to talk to remote/hosted services.

I’ll double down on the urge to drop TypeScript. That pile of nonsense came from the classic OOP folks - “But where are my TYPEs!? How do I know what type that variable is!?” (first the Java/C++ folks then the .NET folks “solved” the brain fuzz around functional programming and dynamic types by giving you TypeScript)

Having been out of the m$ ecosystem for some time, I’m kinda surprised HTAs are still around, I’m guessing to avoid breaking things. Once .NET started taking off - I always assumed that would replace the VBScript side of things and let you build proper, elegant system interfaces for your JavaScript app. I really imagined the goal was to drop Windows forms/object controls - but I always imagined BATTLES at m$ over being able to create Windows “apps” that didn’t conform to native UI controls, couldn’t be controlled through Windows theming engines, etc. kinduva brand control battle. I always imagined some team going “NOOO, just build a web app, you’re breaking all the UI rules!!!”

[mynameisvlad]

> “But where are my TYPEs!? How do I know what type that variable is!?”

Someone clearly hasn’t worked in any sort of sizable code base. Come back when you are writing something spanning hundreds of JS files and where it takes you three times the time to verify that any small change isn’t a typo or wrong type off from a runtime error. TS heavily speeds up the development cycle by bringing an entire class of errors from runtime to compile time and that has nothing to do with OO and inheritance.

Simply put, TS is an infinitely better and safer language to develop in and it took the web world by storm for a reason. People didn’t decide to switch en masse for shits and giggles and you should realize that just because you have a different view does not mean that everyone else around you is wrong.

> m$

Seriously? It’s 2024, and we’re all adults. This does nothing but water down your point.