Difference in buildable C# applications on Windows 8 vs. Windows Server 2012?

3
votes

We are looking at getting a new, preferably shared, machine for C# development and testing, and we want to maximize compatibility with new APIs, etc., because it appears certain newer applications (Metro?) cannot be built on Windows 7 nor Server 2008. I had assumed, like past compatibilities between desktop and server Windows OSes, that Windows Server 2012 and Windows 8 would be able to build and test the same set of programs, etc. However, information like this suggests that's not the case:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/br211384.aspx

Windows Store app development in Visual Studio is supported only on Windows 8. Windows 7 is not supported. In addition, developer licenses aren't available for Windows Server 2012, so you can't develop Windows Store apps on that operating system.

Does this mean there are Windows applications that can't be built on any release of a Windows Server OS? (I'm primarily interested in building and testing, not really active development nor deployment.)

Can someone describe what kinds of programs can be built on Windows 8 and not Windows Server 2012, or vice-versa? I'm assuming each has all compatible versions of Visual Studio. Thanks.

3
c#visual-studio-2012windows-8windows-server-2012
Thanks for the responses. I figured out, though, that with the Windows 8 SDK, which can be installed on Win7, Win2k8R2, or Win2012, I can do everything but link the code into an "AppContainerExe". Because of the nature of my work, I don't actually need the linked product of the build, just a build that compiles the code using proper prerequisites and then passes. I've tested changing "AppContainerExe" to "WinExe" in the .csproj and this has so far enabled me to build (in a sense) Windows Store apps on Win7. – user2471887

3 Answers

2
votes

Does this mean there are Windows applications that can't be built on any release of a Windows Server OS?

Yes. You can't build Windows Store apps on Windows Server operating systems, due to licensing restrictions.

Can someone describe what kinds of programs can be built on Windows 8 and not Windows Server 2012, or vice-versa?

Windows Store applications can't be built on Server 2012. Anything can be developed on Windows 8.

You can install a virtual machine for Windows 8 on a Windows Server 2012 machine, and develop within the VM, however. This is effectively developing on Windows 8.

2
votes

According to this:

Windows Server 2012 does not include Metro or WinRT

Therefore you will NOT be able to compile or run WinRT-based software in that O.S

0
votes

What you are not allowed to do on Server 2012 is build Windows Store Apps that can be installed on a Windows RT device. Note the "not allowed" instead of "can't". Turning this on should be as easy for Microsoft as flipping a bit somewhere, or at least nearly so.

The same Visual Studio installs on both Server 2012 and Windows 8, and code is ultimately just text. This means that if you really want to, you can develop a Windows Store app on Server 2012. You just can't (easily or legally) build it there. What you can do is host Windows 8 inside Server 2012 on a VM. If you have an MSDN subscription, you have rights to both systems for this purpose.