WinRT and .Net Framework

After the WinRT presentation, I'm confused about the role of the .net framework in the Microsoft dev开发者_StackOverflowelopment stack.

Is it necessary for developing WinRT applications?

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As I understand it you can build a WinRT app in 3 ways

• .net
• jscript
• unmanged C++

The WinRT "object" are ref counted like COM was, however they have good meta data so .net can make them look like .net objects. (likewise jscript can make them look like jscipt objects)

So .net is not necessary to develop WinRT applications if you wish to use jscript or C++.

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If you are developing a Windows 8 Metro style application, then you will be using WinRT whether you choose to use HTML5/JS, Xaml or C++. Note that C#/VB.NET and Xaml in Metro apps only expose a subset of the .NET Framework. WinRT provides a sort of sandboxed environment for the apps.

If you are developing "classic" Desktop Applications, then you'll likely use the .NET Framework and its full awesomeness.

They really are two different platforms for building two different kind of apps. WinRT for fully imersive apps that can utilize touch and other sensors. And .NET for any other application you want to build. Remember that you can still utilize touch (and most likely the other sensor API's as well) within any .NET application.