Windows Store/APPX for deployment?

[bherila]

Pros:

• Most users have a MSA
• Gracefully handles auto updating
• Potentially enable new features like automatically detecting the user's "Connected Account" and signing them in, and syncing settings via LiveID.
• Native OS push notifications
• In a business environment deployment can be streamlined via the Windows Store for Business. Selling commercial licenses could also be a monetization channel.
• Running inside an AppContainer would also provide additional security benefits on Windows.
• Can still provide downloadable AppX for users to install if they don't want to use the Windows Store (easy install from command line/PowerShell using the Windows built-in package manager)
• No need for maintaining install scripts!
• Easy Windows Phone app in the future ("Universal app")
• User reviews = marketing opportunity!

Cons:

• AppX only available Windows 8+ so standalone package may still be needed
• Would any refactoring be needed? Does N2 use any forbidden system APIs etc.
• Potential wait-time for Store app to be reviewed/approved

[bherila]

This would also probably mean using Windows JS engine (Chakra) as opposed to Chromium on Windows. Not sure if that would be a huge issue but it might impact https://github.com/nylas/N1/issues/178

[mbilker]

This would require a complete rewrite of N1 to use a different set of APIs as N1 uses Electron to provide a native interaction and access to native APIs from a Chromium instance.

[bherila]

It would have to be done at the Electron level, not at the N1 level.

[bherila]

Mac app store is a similar issue with Electron: https://github.com/electron/electron/issues/249

[kevinmartin]

No need to change anything in Electron: https://github.com/CatalystCode/electron-windows-store

[bherila]

Ooh nice. But that will only work with Windows 10, the legacy installer will still be needed for Windows 8 and 8.1.

[kevinmartin]

Unless you have a better solution that doesn't require rewriting the entire codebase for a non-existent Chakra plugin for Electron, that's the best we can do for now.

Electron doesn't have AppX on the radar for now I don't think.

You can probably go on that repo and post an issue to add support for Windows 8/8.1.

[bengotow]

Hey folks—https://github.com/CatalystCode/electron-windows-store is a project we've talked to @felixrieseberg about and we're excited to try it out. We'll definitely see if we can use it with N1 soon. I'm not sure whether Windows 8 is on their roadmap, but we'd be fine using the legacy installer.

[felixrieseberg]

Yo @bengotow, we can totally see if this works by just hanging out for three hours or so once I'm back from Europe (in roughly two weeks). Here's some real quick information:

• It needs Windows "Anniversary Update" (aka a build after 14311, or anything codenamed "Redstone").
• The deployment story for admins works out the box today.
• I don't really expect anything major to not work, we're essentially just running your exe inside a virtual filesystem/registry container.
• We will have to change how you register for mailto://, because appx does that via a manifest

The biggest blocker right now is that we haven't yet firmly decided how the path to the Windows Store looks like from a submission point of view. However, if you have anyone who's job it is to roll this out to a bazillion machines, the appx will already work if installed via sideloading (bypassing the store).