Any efforts for Windows 8 applications?

[bradbartz]

Unfortunately, I do not yet have anything new to announce. The Church would love to address this platform but is still determining its strategy and budget for doing so, as well as how community development could augment the efforts.

David thank you so much for replying back to the forum. As you can tell there is obviously a lot of interests in getting a Windows 8 App for the new range of devices, tablets, convertibles, including the Surface.

Do you have any insights into the timeline for such a decision?

Thanks, Brad

[pbarnsley]

Come on guys, just send me the sourcecode for the apps, i am sure i can move things along faster than the snails pace we are getting from the church. I have offered to help in the past, only to be ignored. Its not like these are complex apps, just textual display.

Something needs to move before someone like me just publishes their own version

[jdlessley]

[Moderator note:
The moderators and administrators have discussed this thread and we are continuing to discuss this thread. We understand there is frustration about the lack of development support for Windows 8 mobile platforms. Some of us mods and admins are in that group. We ask you to consider the Code of Conduct before posting. Especially keep in mind the following points.

• "Follow the Golden Rule -- Everyone enjoys being treated with respect."
• "When in doubt, don't post it. Take a deep breath... It's better to wait if you are ... too frustrated to think clearly."
• Do not post "[c]omments or content that is rude ... or that ridicules or belittles any person [or] organization..."

We are fortunate to have a church employee responding in this thread. He has given us the current situation. We can do little more than be patient until the strategy and budget outcomes are decided.]

Something needs to move before someone like me just publishes their own version

This will be quite difficult without the APIs needed to access both LDS Account and the data for the different apps. Access to those APIs are available only to approved community development teams or internal ICS development. There are earlier posts in this thread discussing this.

[delhays32]

For anyone who doesn't know, Bluestacks is a free Android emulator you can run on your Windows 8 tablet. It is a bit buggy but it gives you the ability to use the Gospel Library on your Win 8 tab. It was originally made for the Surface Pro but has recently added the Dell Lat 10. If someone mentioned this previously I am sorry, didn't have time to read 14 pages. Currently it has access to 3 android stores including Amazon. It is a great option until the Windows version of Gospel Library can be created.

[Mikerowaved]

...Bluestacks is a free Android emulator you can run on your Windows 8 tablet.

Thanks. It was mentioned earlier, and probably should be restated that Bluestacks currently only supports Win 8 Pro tablets and notebooks, not any running Win 8/RT.

[jpawlowski]

I tried Bluestacks with my Surface Pro. In spite of the app claiming to have been "optimized" for this device, I'll agree that it is clunky, to say the least. Still waiting with great anticipation for Windows 8 gospel apps!

[joe_coolish]

I have started a Gospel Library application for Windows 8.
Check out the thread here for more details:
https://tech.lds.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=101&t=15961#

[dfsimmons]

Ugh, this is so frustrating. There are so many volunteers ready to help, why can't we get this thing rolling?

[msheets]

@dstaheli:

Thanks for the update--I apologize as I know that I contributed a post or two earlier that did not follow the guidelines for discussion here very well--forgive me for not helping the atmosphere. I'm glad I've had the chance to learn that lesson and hope that I can stick to it from now on. It doesn't help anyone to vent on here.

Re: porting the app from elsewhere. I think it wise to wait a few months (hopefully not years and see it done right rather than to watch it take months and years to clean up a quick job. That may be a little painful, but this will be a system that thousands and maybe millions will one day be using. It will be important to have a solid foundation.

One other thing to take into account is that Microsoft seems to be pushing more and more to bring the Phone and Desktop/Laptop versions of Windows 8 closer together. Things are still in a state of transition. Transition means time. And it also often means--as I'm sure we're all aware--messiness in code and syntax. I wouldn't be surprised to find out after the fact that representatives from the Church have been in closer discussion about these types of issues that will they will face. It will be right for them to do this right (and it will be slick-er for those of us that want to use devices throughout the whole ecosystem! I love the idea of having these platforms brought closer together.

I love Windows 8! And I think it has a great future. Thank you to everyone that is working on this project and trying to do things the very best you can--know that you have my support!

Matthew Sheets

(and know that I'd love to be on your list of beta testers! Thanks again!

[dreeder]

I have the elitepad 900 and love it but need the gospel library. I would love to help develop if I had any skills in that area. I would pay for it....