When to use Windows Store app?

Question

I have a winforms application and was wondering whether I should attempt to move it to Windows store app (and WPF) or not. I would expect metro style apps to have the same potential as desktop apps, but what got me wondering is the fact that VS 2012 is not a metro app. It doesn't really surprise me much as every metro app I've seen so far look like a phone app that can't really do much and I can't imagine how VS would look like as a metro app.

Seems to me like Microsoft wants to slowly move everything to metro, otherwise I don't see the point on introducing a whole new visual experience just to get stuck with having to switch between metro and desktop, but even Notepad is still a desktop application. So my question is, basically, is every kind of application supposed to be movable to metro or is metro only for small phone-like applications?

Answer 1

I don't believe that Microsoft is intending every application to end up Metro. I see more lightweight types apps going to Metro. Heavy duty line-of-business apps will stay on the desktop side of things.

I do see an opportunity for writing both desktop and Metro style apps in enterprise environments though. Imagine this hypothetical scenario:

In an enterprise, I can see Accounts Receivable running the full-blown, monolithic, desktop application on their desktops just like they run them under Win7 because they’re needs are pretty extensive.

The receptionist will run a touch enabled laptop with a Metro app that is tied into just the corporate appointments.

The guys on the loading dock will be running Win8 phones that have the intake/outtake app showing schedules for deliveries and what not.

Managers and executives have Metro tablets that have an app that shows metrics: lots of pretty charts and graphs showing the current condition of what and how the company is operating in it’s different lines of business.

For the users that need the complexity, it’s desktop mode, but for the users that perform smaller, specific computer tasks, touch-enabled Metro apps for them.

Answer 2

Metro-style apps are for content consumption, like you would find on a tablet.

Classical desktop apps are for content creation.