[bchjam]

I think the panicky response is unwarranted based on the demo alone, which I thought looked as though the metro UI was still implemented in XAML.

I think the main issue is that Microsoft has a history of delivering mixed messages and ill-fated solutions that disappear within a couple years. I remember seeing a MIX video (can't find it anymore) from when they announced Silverlight where Microsoft made fun of themselves for doing this to developers so consistently in the past with things like Hailstorm.

Alternately, it could just be a convenient excuse for developers who might have already been looking at platforms with more buzz like Android & iOS.

[TomOfTTB]

The problem here is they made this announcement to the Wall Street Journal. Had they done this at a developer conference it would be "just another Microsoft sending mixed signals" thing. But by saying "HTML5 is our development engine" to the largest business newspaper in the world they put MS developers in a tough spot. Because CEOs and CFOs read the Wall Street Journal and suddenly want to question every budget item that contains the word Silverlight.