A few days ago Microsoft announced that it was dropping the name Metro for it’s interface … then they came up with the ingenious name, Windows 8, as the replacement. (Wow … that is so bold.) Now it turns out that Windows 8 apps aren’t Windows 8 apps after all. At least some of them aren’t.

The Apps Structure
Recall that Metro apps were supposedly written for Metro and legacy apps were known as desktop apps. So now Microsoft is going full throttle, which means it’s confusing, because the Microsoft App store will list the desktop apps, but won’t sell them there because they are not Windows 8 apps. They are desktop (legacy) apps.



To add another pothole to the road, a desktop app is written under the Win32 API domain. But those apps will run under Windows 8, even if they are not classified as a Windows 8 App. Furthermore, the desktop app will run on Windows 8 pro OS version but not on the RT version designed for the ARM tablets. It also means that the Surface tablet will only run Windows 8 apps, not desktop apps. However, the Surface Pro Tablet will run Windows 8 apps and also desktop apps.

Windows 8 Apps Desktop Apps
Run on*Windows 8 Win32 API
Run on Arm Tablets Windows 8 Pro OS
Run on Surface Pro Tablet Surface Pro Tablet
Run on Surface Tablet *
Run Desktop Apps (not called Windows 8 app) *

Yes – No – Here we Go
It seems that there are a lot of visionaries over at Microsoft right now. All trying to make their vision come true. After all, they’ve been working on their area for about five years, maybe longer. The problem is marketing. Are they talking to the marketing department? Does marketing have any say in this conundrum? It looks like different departments are rushing to make a name for themselves even if they are in conflict or appear in contradiction with others. Who cares? Right? It’s the name of the game. And the game is to be successful in the Windows 8 environment. Let’s hope so.

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