Do you really need a license to develop Windows 8 metro apps? Even for third party ones not intended to be included in the Windows 8 store?
I thought the Metro was the future, and I understand why Microsoft would want to moderate what gets added to their store, but if you can't even post apps to third party sites then it doesn't seem all that great.
Do you really need a license to develop Windows 8 metro apps?
Windows Store app development > New to Windows Store apps? Start here > Show me
This mentions Run Visual Studio to get a developer license. and mentions To develop and test Windows Store apps, you need a developer license, which is free.
You can create this license when you start VS or there is also another way to get this license.
So, yes, you need a (free) license; I don't think it completely stops you from developing applications.
Even for third party ones not intended to be included in the Windows 8 store?
Yes, Metro apps are "Windows Store apps" and thus need the developer license in order to be made.
I thought the Metro was the future, and I understand why Microsoft would want to moderate what gets added to their store, but if you can't even post apps to third party sites then it doesn't seem all that great.
Yeah, that's the purpose of the store, being in control over what applications can and can't run. Compared to that, the internet is an unmoderated place which doesn't live up to the same expectations an application in the Windows 8 Store would.
A program that crashes, perform sluggish or do other stuff you might not want would not be able to enter Windows 8 Store; but can reach your computer if you download it from the web. I think you can share executables, but you really will not want to; you could just use the Windows 8 Store instead.
There hasn't really been a case of people being really denied from the Windows 8 Store; apart from some developers in the early days being unable to submit their applications for unclear reasons, which has since been approved so it shouldn't really form a problem nowadays...
You can deploy Metro app directly for internal usage but it would require special license for the PCs themselves. It seems Microsoft is trying to go all-walled-garden style with Metro, while still letting the Desktop wide open for anything you want. And really, the only reason you wouldn't want your app to enter the Store would be if it's for internal usage, which is supported by the enterprise route for Metro.
If your app is for general public consumption, paying measly 100 bucks for free publishing, distribution, license management etc for a year is much much better than any third party store. Compare this with Android where technically you can publish your app in any store, yet Google Play still dominate the market (even with third party store from OEMs and operators)
