Creating programs that run from the desktop (*.exe)

Discussion in 'Programming' started by craze3, Jan 2, 2008.

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  1. #1
    I've been developing with PHP for a while, but now I want to create some programs that run offline right from the desktop. Ones that I can actually sell to the user.
    Here's my question, what's an easy OO programming language that I can use to make standalone programs that cannot be decompiled? VB.Net looks cool but I think it can be decompiled?
    Thanks
     
    craze3, Jan 2, 2008 IP
  2. pratham

    pratham Peon

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    #2
    If you want to use PHP to write desktop apps, use GTK (or equivalent widgeting library).
    There are PHP compilers as well, not sure how / if they work.
     
    pratham, Jan 2, 2008 IP
  3. urstop

    urstop Peon

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    #3
    You can use VB 6.0, instead of VB.NET. I don't think EXEs created thru VB 6.0 can be decompiled.
     
    urstop, Jan 3, 2008 IP
  4. JenniP

    JenniP Peon

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    #4
    Everything can be decompiled eventually its just a case of how much effort you want to put into doing it.

    You are correct though that .NET applications (Not just VB.NET) can be decompiled, however there are tools you can use to make it more difficult, some are free (Visual Studio comes with one) some you pay for (and are more effective).

    On the whole though very few people have the skills (Unless your target market is developers of course), and even less have the time required to decompile it, fix all the bugs introduced by the decompilation.

    Even with the decompilation "risk" I would still recommend .NET for Windows application development as the positives outweigh the negatives.

    Jen
     
    JenniP, Jan 3, 2008 IP
  5. AstarothSolutions

    AstarothSolutions Peon

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    #5
    Yes, as Jen says, nothing is 100% safe as the machine it runs on must be able to understand it and if it can understand it it can translate it back into a higher level programming language.
     
    AstarothSolutions, Jan 4, 2008 IP
  6. TwistMyArm

    TwistMyArm Peon

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    #6
    While this is true, there are differing levels of translating back :)

    Take C++, for example, or anything that is compiled down to proper machine code. While you could convert the final executable back to some form of C++, you'll end up with nonsensical variable and function names and most likely extremely weird code (as it's all been optimised before compilation).

    Languages that are compiled to byte code are generally more readily 'converted' back. Java, Visual Basic and all of the .NET languages, by default, will decompile to their original state.
     
    TwistMyArm, Jan 4, 2008 IP
  7. AstarothSolutions

    AstarothSolutions Peon

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    #7
    Yes, but "random" names for variables etc does not prevent someone altering the code and recompiling - just can make it more time consuming subject to the level of change required.
     
    AstarothSolutions, Jan 4, 2008 IP