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0 pointsrajeev-k6y ago0 comments

Docker is a better way to distribute apps than Electron, in my opinion. From a developer point of view you just build a regular web app, so better than Electron. From the user's point of view, Docker is better because of isolation, and because there is nothing to install. You run just one command to download and run the image. If you want the app to have its own window then use Chrome's "Create shortcut" command. This is indistinguishable from an Electron app, but better. See an app written in this fashion here: https://hub.docker.com/r/eurekasearch/eurekasearch

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nitePhyyre6y ago

"From the user's point of view, Docker is better [...] run just one command" Nope. Your "better" solution just became fundamentally impossible for 99.9% of users.

interlocutor6y ago

See https://kitematic.com/ it is a UI for starting containers.

strangecasts6y ago

For the end user there is something to install - specifically, Docker, which is quite... hefty on Windows

Kihashi6y ago

I've had to debug every install of docker for windows that I've done because it doesn't set something up correctly. Usually this involves googling the error message, finding a github thread where people are talking about which builds this affects, and then trying one of three or more powershell commands to fix whichever part of the install failed. In the most recent attempt, the error message told me to enabled virtualization in the BIOS, but it was actually that HyperV had not been enabled properly[1]. It was installed and the UI ran, but if you tried to start any VM, it would fail. I doubt debugging this sort of thing is feasible for an end user.

[1]: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/39684974/docker-for-wind...

charrondev6y ago

If I remember correctly it also requires windows pro or enterprise.

These 2 requirements make this fundamentally unusable for most.

- Windows 10 64-bit: Pro, Enterprise, or Education (Build 15063 or later). - Hyper-V and Containers Windows features must be enabled.

noisem4ker6y ago

Docker Toolbox, although less polished, is based on VirtualBox and happily runs without Hyper-V. The only thing I've found missing is the control panel GUI.

https://github.com/docker/toolbox

aliswe6y ago

Don't forget it requires HyperV as well

cpitman6y ago

A basic requirement for distributing desktop apps should be not requiring root to install/run them.

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