Windows 8 - using Win32 & WinRT side by side

October 26 will be the date Windows 8 will be available preloaded on new PCs and also to those purchasing it through one of the upgrade programs Microsoft has announced recently. Based on previous Microsoft statements, it also seems October 26 will be the date that Windows RT-based (WOA) Surface PCs/tablets from Microsoft will be available via the Microsoft Stores and select online outlets.

Why still have a desktop?

The desktop mode is present in Windows 8, and for good reason. Windows 8 running on traditional x86 systems need the desktop mode to support thousands of legacy desktop apps. These applications are written for Win32 operating system and they’re not going away anytime soon. And a desktop mode that’s optimized for keyboard and mouse input is extremly useful.




Why have a Metro* Start Screen?

The new Metro* style Start Screen in Windows 8 and Windows RT allows developers to create a new style of applications that will run fullscreen and in a sandboxed environment designed to be easy to install, maintain, and above all else, secure and touch-friendly.

Microsoft seems to be going all in on its Windows 8 Metro style apps, but yet it still wants to hedge a desktop mode on Windows RT is a good thing. WinRT solves many of the problems of Win32, from an apps perspective. (Writing NT services, drivers, etc is still handled using Win32)

Apps created for WinRT are safe, secure, and sandboxed...they can't wreck other apps, can't cause "Windows rot," and all install very quickly. They feature isolated storage, installation under single folders, and require user consent to access the general file system.
When Microsoft introduced WinRT, it's considered as a major technology shift. This is part of it, a modern, truly different app platform that is far more different from any previous Operating system. In fact the last time


*The term "Metro" is being phased out by Microsoft. This is due to trademark issues with a company of a similar name, Microsoft stated that "Metro" was only a codename and that an official name was to be unveiled. No official replacement of the Start Screen UI has been announced, however the terms Windows 8 style and Modern UI style have been used interchangeably by Microsoft employees and White Papers to refer to the new app platform.