I just managed to get a absolute baseline working app in avaloniaUI using this library that someone cooked up. No idea if the library is actively maintained, but uh, we’ll figure that out when we get to it.
Compared to using the site, possible advantages of a desktop are:
- Being able to save posts offline
- Client side filtering
- performance
- less data usage
- Not having to use your browser
Other things too, I’m sure. Just trying to gauge interest here. Also I barely know avalonia or C# so just don’t expect a polished app out by next monday.
Personally, I tend to prefer apps on mobile and the web versions of services when working from a PC.
I wouldn’t. I don’t prefer additional apps on my PC because I switch between three computers, so the browser is much easier for me. But that’s just me.
yeah, appreciate the sentiment, but my desktop already has an app to view websites
Not really. I’m happy with the web ui
Apps for desktop websites isn’t a thing. That’s what browser are made for.
Apps for desktop websites isn’t a thing
It totally is a thing. But at the same time, you’re not wrong, since they all run on electron lmao.
I’d say that makes it even more of a thing, as people clearly want apps even if they’re wrapped up websites
I’m down for that. Sounds awesome.
As long as it’s open source :-)
Would love some mod tools, scraping tools, discovery tools, information dashboard for a server etc.
I don’t see any reason to not make it open source
Web browser works perfectly well, can even install sites as an app on mobile
No, not really. It’s a website.
Why not go the userscript route (apart from having to deal with JS which is definitely a legit reason in my book) like RES?
A browser?
Generally speaking I prefer OS native apps to cross-platform. Being a macOS user cross-platforms apps tend not to respect OS conventions like Command + Click on document title to show the directory it’s in, being able to move files that are open, etc.
Not to say that this app would need any of that. I guess my point is that oftentimes cross-platform stuff looks janky (no matter the host OS).
Real footage of me as a windows user finding a good native app (I had forgotten they existed)
Jokes aside, I get what you mean. Ultimately though, I thought it would be more valuable for me and users for it to be cross platform. If I was a mac user I might have made it native. You guys still have some good apps left.
.NET means it’ll be a huge pain to get it running on linux, so it’s a no from me.
Modern dotnet executables don’t even need the Mono runtime anymore, there’s nothing wrong with dotnet. Most devs just pick a UI library that doesn’t support Linux, but that’s the case with almost all native applications.
Avalonia does support Linux. :)
Avalonia works just fine on linux. Also if things work out, it will be AOT compiled. Plus with WSL, linux should be easy to test for me. Mac will be the only problematic one, as I don’t have one.
The thing is that WSL isn’t a good place to test it. I’ve had major issues with stuff like EDSM (for elite dangerous). It works fine on windows, linux with mono just straight up doesn’t work and proton is still a pain because of all the windows dependencies.
There’s also a reason why keepassXC exists, a rewrite was probably easier than making the .NET orginal run properly on linux.
Are you sure? ASP.NET Core or console apps work fine on GNU/Linux, I didn’t try GUI tho.
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Just note that you can use Liftoff on desktop, and I think thunder too, but not sure.
That mobile UI doesn’t really cut it
Why’s that? I actually find all the desktop apps shows the Post’s imgs/gifs as a small thumbnail, which I don’t like when scrolling the feed. For me everything there works well and pretty convenient.
It would have to offer something substantial that can’t be done in a browser; the only thing I can think of off the top of my head is maybe some kind of command-line app if there’s a demand for it. I think the current UI is fine but the kind of improvements you’re looking for might be better for a browser extension like RES.
