How to find a Windows app developer?

[realJSOP]

I found your job posting on ZipRecruiter. I think the primary turnoff (for me anyway) is that the position is "temporary". How temporary is it?

".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
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When you pry the gun from my cold dead hands, be careful - the barrel will be very hot. - JSOP, 2013

[Peter Moore Chicago]

That's fair. I PMed you.

[HobbyProggy]

Oh im fine with mine, thanks. Also, i wouldn't relocate to another country :suss:

Rules for the FOSW ![^]

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[Gary Huck]

Talk to me in four months.

[Lost User]

I don't know about windows, I work on iOS and Android apps, but one day out of sheer curiosity, I have tried to replicate an HTML5/CSS3/JavaScript(with addons) UI with native elements. Result: disaster, the HTML5/CSS3/Javascript combination happens to be the best and fastest UI platform. Even microsoft tried at one point WinJS I think.

throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart.

[Foothill]

If you are receptive to a remote, what kind of weekly contribution hours wise are you looking for? I ask because I already have a job that I don't really want to give up** but the pay isn't exactly stellar. I've got about 6 years of SQL Server + ~4 years WPF. ** I have an actual office all to myself plus sick time and lax deadlines which is really quite nice

if (Object.DividedByZero == true) { Universe.Implode(); }

[David Crow]

CWYAF

"One man's wage rise is another man's price increase." - Harold Wilson

"Fireproof doesn't mean the fire will never come. It means when the fire comes that you will be able to withstand it." - Michael Simmons

"You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him." - James D. Miles

[Kirk 10389821]

My 2 cents, if you are asking for 5+ years of just developing Windows Desktop Applications(...). I would make: UWP a bonus I would state: Looking for someone who wants to learn Xamarin. I would loosen MVVM to "MVVM, MVC, or similar patterns" Honestly, if the person walked in, was clearly qualified as stated above, interested in learning and move a project to Xamarin... etc. Wouldn't you have hired them already? I try to separate what they "know" from what they "can learn". Give me a developer with core skills and an interest ANY day. Good luck!

[Slow Eddie]

We are a dying breed. I have been a Desktop Programmer since 1978. Most Guys like me are settled and have found our own niche (Wives, children, grandchildren, homes, mortgages, favorite bars, etc.) "Developer" is the term du Jour, to guys like me. Don't use it. Also, consider allowing a candidate to work remotely. Even then expect to pay more, we know how "rare" we are becoming. Supply and Demand - Adam Smith had it right, it's not just a theory, it's a fact. I get contacted by "head hunters" two to three times a week. I am currently upgrading my package from VB6 to C#, so my current clients have a fighting chance of finding someone to maintain my code after I am gone. Yes, I do expect my software to outlive me. :omg:

It's a random chance Universe and we are all out there riding waves of Probability. "Newer" is NOT automatically better, only Different. (And more complex and bug ridden when it comes to all of the "boutique" languages / frameworks out there)

[MKJCP]

We just need to use real words.

[Peter Moore Chicago]

Good suggestions, thanks!

[Anonymee]

I'm pretty sure this is it - add remote possible and people will run in your doors. I'm in Germany, where remote job offers are really rare (Home Office Option is quite common - where option means only for after work-hours :( ), and non-web job offers as remote are even rarer. You should know: nowadays desktop developers work mainly in industry, not in software companies - those are almost all web or app (ios/android) as of now. Industry employees are paid damn well, but they are also bound to their production site, because they take care of machinery. So they don't lack work, they don't lack money - but they absolutely lack flexibility - especially the possibility to work remote. Mark your job as remote here on stackoverflow and it will go out by e.g. goremote.io - whose newsletter hits developers around the world. Developers like me, who match your prerequisites word by word. You don't know how many industry workers will be so happy to see that specific field of software development offered as remote. So... See you in the next newsletter! By the way: only US or Europe too...?

[Bruce Patin]

I've had to learn on my own and work with several languages. The most time consuming part is not learning the language, but learning the application. Your requirement of 5+ years experience in Windows programming seems excessive. I'd cut it to 2 or 3. And you might add Silverlight experience as an option.

[Sharp Ninja]

UWP/Windows Store Apps have been around at least 5 years as I was doing Windows Server 2008 R2 management (and development) in 2012.

[Munchies_Matt]

OK, you cant do fancy modern UI stuff with it, but quite frankly, I hate the modern UI. Give me grey buttons and edit windows! Thats all I Want! :) I work mostly in the kernel, and that really hasnt changed for ages. In fact since the days of NT!

[Rick York]

The time spans I stated were not specific to those technologies listed. They were examples.

[Sharp Ninja]

I've been doing Windows development since the days of VB5. At almost every stop along the way in my career, whether it's been a web dev position, architect, or even CTO of a startup, I have developed apps, utilities and support tools in Windows Forms, WPF and UWP, not to mention all of my personal projects.

[Sharp Ninja]

dandy72 wrote:

IMNSHO, that's why you're not finding anyone. While I know mostly Windows developers, nobody's even remotely interested in UWP. There's more interest in transitioning from Windows to other platforms than UWP. You'd be better off skipping that requirement so you don't scare anyone away. Instead look for someone who can adapt to new technologies.

Sorry, but that's a very short-sighted view. Microsoft has made it very clear that Win32 is an endangered species. Microsoft is still over 90% of the desktop and laptop market (and laptops are making a comeback as people learn that Android tablets are not a suitable replacement). Being able to code for UWP is going to become IMMENSELY important to developers as UWP provides a much richer experience than web apps and they use a very similar model in the architecture of how the apps interact with the business systems. Business are not going to toss out there very, very, very expensive dependency on Microsoft Windows and move to Mac or GNU/Linux. Even Google is getting into the UWP game. They are working with Microsoft for a joint app framework based on UWP that will run on both Android (or its rumored replacement) and Windows 10 with Android providing the mobile support and Windows 10 providing the deeper application support. It's very clear the Google sees the writing on the wall about desktop, and that Microsoft was probably already working on this stuff for quite a while before killing Windows 10 Mobile.

The Sharp Ninja http://www.thesharp.ninja http://thesharp.ninja/the-case-for-universal-apps-on-the-desktop/ http://thesharp.ninja/using-the-mvc-pattern-with-windows-10-universal-applications-part-1/

[Kirk Wood]

Your first line is why I wouldn't consider it even though I could do what you need. Here is how I see it: 1) One doesn't need five years to understand WPF and MVVM, a couple is plenty for most things. And if your stuff is so esoteric as to need that many specifically in that area I would take a pass unless the esoteric area really appealed to me. 2) Desktop programming is on the decline. Until I am nearing retirement I would prefer to avoid closing technologies. 3) The mention of Windows Forms further makes it look like dead end technology. So I would recommend that you instead look for five years experience in the C# with a solid background in XAML. And, be sure to mention that your company is looking to move toward expanding and that the developer won't be stuck with this as long as she/he stays with your company.

[Sharp Ninja]

GuyThiebaut wrote:

Having come from a background of winforms development I am probably one of those who might be in demand at some point. That said - any decent web developer(someone experienced in MVC, C# SQL) should have little difficulty developing on a non web system - the thing is finding people willing to do that work is probably not going to be easy ,as the future seems to have been web development for the past 10 years and more.

Well, I somewhat agree with this point. Web developers who didn't start with WROX books or Google searches shouldn't have a problem, but those that are less skilled can still succeed with UWP (and even WPF) because the programming model is basically the same, and XAML is a natural transition for HTML developers. The biggest hurdle with going from web to UWP is having to wrap your brain around styling XAML. But once you have the concepts grasped, it's much more powerful than CSS and JavaScript.