Apparently some people out there claim that there are 20,000 apps on the Windows store, a website hosted by Microsoft where Windows 8 licensees can download compatible software.

I wonder how they can figure that one out.

For one, this website is forced into localized listing, i.e. it only shows the apps available in the given language matching your IP address. If you connect with a IP address from France, Microsoft only shows you the Windows store of French applications, that is applications that were uploaded by providers claiming to support French as a language. Hardly an efficient mechanism for discovering apps based on their quality or popularity rather than language.

It makes you wonder how stupid those Microsofties are.

As a developer, I'm not buying into this yet. Microsoft hasn't got me trying to get my apps there.

But there is even worse than that.

Windows store apps are supposed to be compatible with Windows 8. But Windows 8 is available in no less than FOUR incompatible flavors. By incompatible we mean that a software in one flavor cannot work on any of the other three, meaning that it is a purchase loss. And possibly anger from potential customers, not to mention reputation degradation.

Four flavors? Here they are :

- windows 8 desktop
- windows 8 metro x86
- windows 8 metro ARM
- windows phone 8 metro

If you go in the Windows store, you will not be told which flavor that particular software is compatible with.

You already hardly know which flavor your computer actually is. Reason is, if you have bought a Microsoft surface device, today it means your flavor is windows 8 metro ARM. But coming next february 2013, Intel will start shipping Intel-based Microsoft surface devices, whose corresponding flavor will be windows 8 metro x86 (or x64).

If you have time to lose with Microsoft, the Windows store is your friend.