> [...] oblivious as you are to the real issues [...]
I understand that you're frustrated, but this kind of language does not foster productive discourse.
As I understand it, Nylas (grinich's OSS Email product/platform) wouldn't have been possible to build with a two-person dev team had they chosen to implement it in something other than Electron.
Are you suggesting we're better off without competitors to the existing email desktop-clients?
> Are you suggesting we're better off without competitors to the existing email desktop-clients?
This is a false dichotomy and you are aware of that fact. This polarization shouldn't exist in the first place. And it can be eliminated with a small time investment.
As developers of important apps, your contribution to the world influences culture. Other follow in your wake. Is that the influence to the world you really want to give to other programmers and business people? Time to market is not the only priority.
That you treat a non-flattering language as me being frustrated tells me you will not understand that side of the argument however. So let's agree to disagree and move on.
> [...] you treat a non-flattering language as me being frustrated [...]
You're right; I was being presumptuous about your emotional state. I apologize. -_-
Let me try to clarify: Companies like Slack and Nylas and Spotify understand the performance implications of using Electron and it _is_ a real problem, but the _benefits_ of using something like Electron, at least currently, outweigh the performance troubles.
There's simply a _much_ lower cost to iterate quickly on a web-driven application.
That said, we're all frustrated about the performance implications (users and companies alike), and this this is reflected in the direction the industry is taking.
I predict Electron _will_ become less popular in the next year or two as React Native desktop support becomes proven by one or more major players:
> You're right; I was being presumptuous about your emotional state. I apologize. -_-
Upvoted for you being nice and constructive. =) I could've been less harsh myself. Sorry!
> ...the _benefits_ of using something like Electron, at least currently, outweigh the performance troubles.
I get it, man. I've been there in the past. I understand your position.
> There's simply a _much_ lower cost to iterate quickly on a web-driven application...That said, we're all frustrated about the performance implications ...
Not arguing that, that's an undeniable fact.
> ...as React Native desktop support becomes proven by one or more major players:...
Yes. Nothing would make me happier. I started with Windows' crappy MFC, ATL etc. horrifying libraries and I've been immensely let down by the promise of Java Swing community that never managed to get its act together well enough to give you a quick and easy way to create cross-platform UIs. Desktop UI is like a hobo on a celebrity wedding: everybody knows it's there, everybody feels awkward about it, and nobody wants to improve its situation. And that's going for like 20 years now.
Us the slightly older generation of devs are guilty for the situation as well. We too had to go on about our day jobs and find a quick way around.
I guess I was a bit harsh because I expected the next generation to pick up the ball and dribble it better than us... >_< Which is a very wrong and egotistical expectation, I'll be the first to admit.
Just don't give up! Make sure that you educate management periodically. Talk to them, convince them, give them analogical examples from the physical world so they get the problem on their level. Never give up the good fight; educate, iterate, improve.
I loved your app, by the way. I only uninstalled it because I am moving away from Gmail.
I really hope React Native Desktop works but I am very skeptical since there still isn't the same coalition of large companies with apps in production using it. Right now React Native Mobile is being pushed by FB, Airbnb, Tesla, Bloomberg, Uber, Soundcloud, etc. and there are thousands of apps using it. React Native Desktop has nowhere near that momentum or support. It would probably be more effective for React Native Desktop to jump on the ElectronJS bandwagon and use it to push awareness, integration, and distribution since it's a pretty close use case.
After you do that a number of times though, promise me something: please reflect on my words again in the future. Devs at important app shops are influencers for much more than technology. You should try and be a positive influencer of culture. Sometimes it comes with a financial cost and I've been guilty of going the way of the money in the past myself.
I'm not saying other things aren't important or should be sacrificed. Just that when building a startup, if you can't get to market... you die. Having a great culture or clean code or beautiful design doesn't save you if you don't ship. Those are still all things which can kill the company later, but none of them kill you as immediately and completely as failure to ship. So time to market becomes the ultimate priority.
I understand that you're frustrated, but this kind of language does not foster productive discourse.
As I understand it, Nylas (grinich's OSS Email product/platform) wouldn't have been possible to build with a two-person dev team had they chosen to implement it in something other than Electron.
Are you suggesting we're better off without competitors to the existing email desktop-clients?