Now that Windows 10 is on ARM - will there be an official (even a Nightly) build of Firefox for ARM?

[VirtualLarry]

https://www.anandtech.com/show/12119/microsoft-launches-windows-10-on-arm-always-connected-pcs

Hopefully, Firefox will port to ARM systems without too much trouble, although I can see the hardware-acceleration being an issue, maybe, although maybe not, if it supports the same APIs as the x86/x64 rigs, even if the core GPU tech is markedly different.

I look forward to purchasing an inexpensive 1080P-screen-equipped laptop, with 24hour battery life, that can run Firefox, and hopefully, Skype. That might even become my daily-driver. Or at least, reason to purchase one for an experiment. Budget target for me would be $300 or lower. (Most of my laptops were around $200, for an AMD Kabini/Puma quad-core or Intel Atom Baytrail dual- or quad-core rig, not counting my added SSD replacement.)

 

[lxskllr]

Debian has it for their ARM ports, so it can be done.

 

[quikah]

Little unclear on how this is going to work. AFAICT they would need to port to UWP to get an ARM build. Otherwise you could use the Win32 version under emulation.

Skype should be supported OOB, there is already a UWP skype, so they just need to add the arm build flag to get it to work (guessing the Windows 10 mobile version already does this).

I am hopeful that they will update the Surface 3 form factor to use arm if the performance is good. I really like the Windows tablet experience, just needs a better platform with always on and better battery life.

 

[corkyg]

For general info - ARM = Advanced RISC Machine
RISC = Reduced Instruction Set Computer

 

[VirtualLarry]

I tried out the new Skype for Linux, it's horrid, and you have to really dig on skype.com, to be able to download the "Classic" Windows Desktop Skype version. By default, they want to feed you the windows 10 version (if you're on Windows 10), which just re-directs you to the Windows Store, which requires an MS ID to download and login, which I don't want to give MS. (And I don't want my Windows 10 desktop PC's login to change to an "MS ID login", which I understand it will, if I use an MS ID to login to the Store or to Skype.)

 

[Insert_Nickname]

Little unclear on how this is going to work. AFAICT they would need to port to UWP to get an ARM build. Otherwise you could use the Win32 version under emulation.

I have a bad feeling that would seriously tank both performance and battery life...

I tried out the new Skype for Linux, it's horrid, and you have to really dig on skype.com, to be able to download the "Classic" Windows Desktop Skype version. By default, they want to feed you the windows 10 version (if you're on Windows 10), which just re-directs you to the Windows Store, which requires an MS ID to download and login, which I don't want to give MS. (And I don't want my Windows 10 desktop PC's login to change to an "MS ID login", which I understand it will, if I use an MS ID to login to the Store or to Skype.)

No problem. You can keep a standard local account and sign-in to the various programs on an as needed basis. Windows won't change your account type unless you specifically ask it to.

That's how I do it anyway. I'd be a little, well you can guess, if MS blocks local accounts. Who said I want to log-in to Windows with my MS account?