I don't consider Metro apps to be desktop applications anyway, so I don't really see a difference between this and Apple's approach.

Metro is built on WinRT which replaces the Win32 API

Microsoft is doing this because it's a huge revenue win for them. They will take 30% of all app purchases and there are thousands of software companies selling software for windows which would add substantially to their bottom line.

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What, you mean like how Win32 was considered legacy when the .NET framework came along? LOL, Metro ain't replacing shit, except maybe for grandma.

Tell you what... whenever MS rewrites Visual Studio and their other core apps as pure Metro apps (WITHOUT having to fall back to their desktop counterparts to get any real functionality), then we'll talk about Win32 being legacy.

MS said that there are content CONSUMPTION and content CREATION applications. Metro is designed for the former. And MS said there is a market for the latter. There are plenty of consumption apps that will continue to be sold (Photoshop, Premiere, MS Office, etc).

Did you even watch that they said at build?

What, you mean like how Win32 was considered legacy when the .NET framework came along?

Win32 won't go away for many years (if ever) but it will eventually become an optional install/won't be available on consumer versions of Windows/etc.

Microsoft needs a clean break from Win32 because they simply can't carry it (and the various services it depends on) onto tablets without compromising their performance and battery consumption.

to whom is it conceding the desktop?

No, as Microsoft explain at the recent Build conference Metro is the future of Windows. Metro is built on WinRT which replaces the Win32 API which Microsoft now considers 'legacy'. There won't be any further updates to 'the desktop mode'.

The future is Metro. Metro is the future.

To enable usage of non-Secure Boot OSes, Secure Boot may be disabled in the firmware just as the TPM can, and TPM is not required for Secure Boot.

It's not a license enforcement mechanism.
It's used to ensure the boot path is not compromised and protect against malware.

Their next version of visual studio will be written using WinRT. Admittedly I have no idea what UI it will have but Microsoft is migrating everything WinRT. Win32 is now considered 'legacy' and will (eventually) become an optional install.

It will be years though. The Visual Studio release cycle is 3-4 years and their in the middle of one right now (next version will be due just after Win 8) and only then will they launch on a WinRT version.

In case you care, the word on campus is that there will be a more consumption oriented rendition of Metro that will see the light of day with Microsoft Office.

For some reason, I think this is an absolutely asinine word and just irritates me when I see it used everywhere.

Your comments would lead me to believe that you never listened to any of the keynotes. MS said that there are content CONSUMPTION and content CREATION applications. Metro is designed for the former. And MS said there is a market for the latter. There are plenty of consumption apps that will continue to be sold (Photoshop, Premiere, MS Office, etc). [emphasis added]

And exactly what percentage of users (outside this type of forum) will do that?

Puh-leeze. Photoshop Tablet Edition with Metro UI might appear some day but MS will be announcing Windows 11 by then. API's come and go, Win32 is here to stay. It was declared 'legacy' long ago, yet .Net is just running alongside it and there's no hint of Win32 possibly disappearing. It took ages to remove DOS compatibility from NT, for goodness' sake. So don't hold your breath.

Yeah, they SAY a lot of things. As I said before, show me a pure, 100% Metro build of Visual Studio, and then we'll talk about how Win32 is going away ...

Read for comprehension. [...] Sheez.

There are plenty of consumption apps that will continue to be sold (Photoshop, Premiere, MS Office, etc).

If you are targeting Windows 8+ then why would you use Win32?

Download a song from Amazon MP3.

(I happen to be in the software development business and so I am not really into free - unless it's part of my business model - and frankly applaud Apple and Microsoft for creating an ecosystem that supports low cost apps.)

It will be only of use to those wishing to target winXP, Vista, and Win7 along with Win8.

in 10 years when no on gives a crap about [...] 7... Win32 will be about as much of a concern as 16 bit programming is in windows today