Part of XAML team is officially under Windows and WinPh departments.

Just got the news that XAML team that are already working for windows is now formally under Win Team and same for WinPh team. There is going to be AppX native app package, simular SL packages.

I wonder if they are going to have a store for it. I really liked how I can update apps thru market place. It would be cool if it is possible on Windows as well (without law suits).

Are those AppX package announcements official, or still just pure speculation?

if somebody is interested, there are also articles here:

http://www.riagenic.com/archives/683

and here

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft/microsoft-splits-up-its-xaml-team-whats-the-fallout/9807

both are not very optimistic for SL/WPF.

"Will the Windows 8 team kill or promote Jupiter, given this move? I don't know. I'd assume the Windows client team is still planning on promotingWPF/Silverlight a development environment for line-of-business apps, but it's not clear from the Somasegar e-mail that this is the case."

"So there you have it. What "it" is, I'm not entirely sure. All I can say, yet again, is Microsoft is doing itself more disservice than service by refusing to offer Silverlight and WPF developers even the most bare-bones official reassurance that there are plans to continue to support these technologies in Windows 8. The silence (and promises that all will be revealed at September at the Build conference) is creating a lot of unnecessary fear, uncertainty and doubt (FUD)."

One thing is for sure, //build is going to be a big thing, either way.

@section31:

I couldn't find the link anymore, but, your link is better anyway.

AppX is still a rumor at this point I think. As for XAML vs ActiveDesktop 3.0, I am pretty sure XAML is the way for "Applications". As Balmer said, SL for Applications and HTML"5" for "web".

I think we'll see .NET and native development merge into one thing targeting the same runtime. WPF, SL, WinPh, and Jupiter/DirectUI will all use XAML for the UI.

I doubt WPF/SL will be updated any further, but the skills learned will be directly transmittable to Jupiter/DirectUI.

@section31: This article paints a much more rosey picture. It talks about this news in light of some of the recent findings in the leaked builds.

http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2011/06/windows-8-for-software-developers-the-longhorn-dream-reborn.ars/

@LCARSNxG: I ready through some of those threads discussing stuff that's been found in the builds. They build a pretty compelling case. If half of that stuff makes it into the final build, I will be one happy developer.

It also kind of indicates what they meant when they said that Windows 8 was their biggest risk ever. They weren't talking about anything as trivial as supporting a tablet form factor.

I really look forward to seeing C++, .Net and Js applications built for the new Windows 8 APIs and all shine the same silver light (excuse the pun); speaking of which: is there a good online source for getting an overview of the draft Windows 8 APIs? There are snippets in the MDL threads.

Lets hope it is true. Because I am getting sick of people whining about Microsoft poo-pooing Silverlight.

36 minutes ago,Bass wrote

Lets hope it is true. Because I am getting sick of people whining about Microsoft poo-pooing Silverlight.

Actually, I rather enjoy that. Those are idiots without a shred of critical thinking (or trolls that knowingly seek attention) that this whole ecosystem would be better off without.

Let them go away.