Just how important is Desktop App support for Windows 8 ARM tablets?

Since rumors began circulating late last week that Microsoft might cut the ability for "Desktop App" non-Metro-style apps to run on Windows 8 ARM tablets, devs and users have had plenty to say about the potential significance of this move.

(Microsoft representatives still have not commented publicly as to whether this rumor is true. They didn't address the issue at all during the December 6 preview of the Microsoft Store, or offer comment as to  whether the late February 2012 Windows 8 beta will be available for both x86 and ARM tablets.)

Whichever way Microsoft ultimately decides to go regarding Desktop App support on Windows 8 on ARM, no legacy Win32 apps are going to run without work on Windows 8 on ARM. From what I've heard, developers should expect there to be some amount of recompilation/rewriting for any and every "legacy" app to work on Windows 8 on ARM because the ARM instruction set is different from the Intel x86/x64 one.

• Read more
• ZDNet