Sign in / up

back to article Microsoft commits to Windows makeover for Node.js

Microsoft is helping refine Node.js for use on Windows and its Azure cloud. Redmond is working with cloud computing vendor Joyrnt to port Node to Windows, a move that will produce a Node.exe, according to a post on the Node blog. Joyent employs Node.js creator Ryan Dahl. Web host turned cloud champion Rackspace is also …

COMMENTS

House rules Send corrections
This topic is closed for new posts.
  1. henchan
    Thumb Up

    more please

    Good. Can we have more like that please MS.

    For instance, I'd love to be able to have my users conveniently stand up their own CouchDB instance from right where they are. My app takes care of the complexity, just so long as CouchDB is online somewhere with an end-point. There are a few specialty hosts like Cloudant and IrisCouch. Joyent and DotCloud may be adding services too. But as far as I am concerned, the more accessible to end users the better.

    There's plenty more projects like Node and Couch but, selfishly, these are the two I care about currently. I have to say, with this and its HTML5 strategy, MS appears to be trying to woo developers with no MS affiliation, such as myself onto its platforms. If they don't compete unfairly, I'll be open-minded.

    4 1
  2. A handle is required
    Thumb Up

    Goooooood... *EVIL LAUGH*!

    I've been wanting to experiment with it, but was too lazy to compile it for Windows myself. Keep it up Microsoft!

    5 1
    1. Goat Jam
      Reply Icon

      Phase 1

      Embrace

      7 0
  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Wait for it...

    Remember the old saying?

    Embrace ... Extend ... Break, Oops!

    Still, it's a step in the right direction.

    2 0
  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Why?

    Why would you even want to run node.js on windows? What is the added value? I don't believe it will run faster on windows than it does under linux.

    3 0
    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Windows

      Why Windows?

      Necessary step for VC++6 compatibility.

      0 0
    2. Alan Bourke
      Reply Icon

      Er ...

      ... maybe your web servers are on IIS ?

      Just a thought.

      2 1
    3. /\/\j17
      Reply Icon

      Horse->cart, not cart->horse

      It's not why would you want to runs node.js on Windows, it's how can we stop people that want to run node.js switching from Windows to Linux.

      4 2
  5. sabroni Silver badge

    Can someone explain this simply to me?

    I thought node.js was a javascript library. If that's the case (and tell me if I'm wrong) surely MS should just be providing a host for the javascript runtime. Why is there the need for a specialised node.exe? Surely a more general purpose solution would be running javascript inside iis? That would allow any javascript to run on the server, rather than just node.js...

    0 0
    1. Bronek Kozicki
      Reply Icon
      Thumb Up

      node is not JavaScript

      Node is written mostly in C++ to interpret js scripts for you and provide it with necessary framework to run on server side and handle incoming requests (most likely HTTP). It's based on very fast and open source js engine from Google called V8 (written in C++ too). There are also some modules written in js bundled with it, but for any "serious" use, most likely you will want to deploy some of many 3rd-party modules written *for* Node.js (list here https://github.com/joyent/node/wiki/modules )

      For more on Node.js internals, goals and philosophy see the presentation here

      http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/03/01/the_rise_and_rise_of_node_dot_js/page4.html

      FWIW Node.js can be (theoretically) compiled with mingw to run on Windows, but I applaud MS for helping out to make it better experience.

      0 0
  6. Tom 7

    Presumably node.js is standards compliant

    and rather than MS making their software standards compliant and just using node.js as is they are going to urinate in everyone else's chips - to make it a better experience for everyone?

    4 1
    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Stop

      Whuh?

      I think you should really read up on what node.js is, rather than assuming.

      0 0
  7. Anonymous Coward
    Paris Hilton

    Correction

    "Redmond is working with cloud computing vendor Joyrnt to port Node to Windows, a move that will produce a Node.exe" that will eventually be incompatible with any Node.js version that doesn't run on Windows.

    Paris cause she's seen all this before too.

    5 1
  8. Henry Wertz 1 Gold badge

    Erosion avoidance

    I think /\/\j17 called it. If Microsoft thinks they are going to get people to go from Linux to Windows they are delusional. But it reduces one source of erosion in user base (people wanting to run node.js, and presumably finding there's not a package of it for Windows.)

    0 0
  9. jaimsbond
    Coat

    ffvfvf

    ffvfvf

    0 0
This topic is closed for new posts.

Other stories you might like