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You already can
. You can call WinRT APIs from Desktop apps.
There are restrictions. Some APIs are not callable by Desktop apps (For various reasons, and its up to the discretion of the team associated with the API). For example the new XAML stack in WinRT is unavailable for Desktop apps.
My own thoughts are that Desktop apps will never get full blown WinRT. However, WinRT will be improved so that we can replicate much of Desktop apps using it.
I can see Windows 8.5 (or 9, or whatever they call it since rumor is they're moving to faster releases) having for example more powerful "snapping" capabilities (or even becoming an awesome Tiling Window Manager).
That, plus even more APIs available in WinRT will make the process easier. I'm not too worried at the moment.
For me being able to develop desktop applications in WinRT means being able to use 100% WinRT, otherwise I won't bother at all to propose that to my customers.
The cool thing about WinRT is that Visual C++ is finally offering the same RAD functionality the C++ Builder was offering in 1997.
But if this is constrained to tablets, then I won't care.




Member since:
2005-07-08
I for one am looking forward to the day desktop applications can be built using WinRT and Win32 is left for dead.
Maybe around Windows 9 - 10 timeframe.