Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2012/09/12/live_chat_windows_8_a_post_dot_net_world_1/

Windows 8: Life in a post .NET world – speak your brains TODAY

Live chat at 2pm BST today

By Gavin Clarke

Posted in Software, 12th September 2012 08:37 GMT

Live Chat Back in 2000, when Bill Gates launched .NET, he likened the shift to the dramatic move from MS-DOS to Windows, as it ushered in an era of distributed computing – for Windows.

.NET became Microsoft’s desktop and server programming story for a decade.

Twelve years on Gates is gone, but his CEO replacement Steve Ballmer reckons Windows 8 is his company’s riskiest bet. Windows 8 introduces a brand-new programming framework, WinRT, geared towards touch input instead of mouse, and cloud download rather than CD install.

Is the transition to WinRT as dramatic as the move from Windows? Is this the end for your .NET skills as Microsoft pushes you towards HTML, Javascript and C++? What will Visual Studio 2012 mean for your freedom to stick with what you know? Third-party compilers? Sure, Microsoft’s heard of those...

Join your fellow Reg readers with Mary-Jo Foley, Tim Anderson and careers man Dom Connor for two one-hour-long Live Chats talking about ModernUI, building for Windows 8 and 9, and the fallout on skills and training.

Our first Live Chat takes place today at 13.00 GMT (14.00 BST, 9.00 ET, 6.00 Pacific) and will dive into programming – .NET versus WinRT. Our follow-up is on 28 September at the same time and will see Dom Connor weigh in on skills – where in the real world can you use your Windows 8 chops in a .NET world?

Today's Live Chat is now finished, but you can carry on talking in our special Living in a post .net world Forum here.