[latitude]

It's in C++, but closer to the C than to ++. The UI is done in a thin wrapper framework that runs directly over Win32 API. Custom controls, animations, etc. - all's from scratch. It's all much easier than it looks, just need to let MFC/ATL/XYZ go :)

[mmastrac]

I always thought that of all the Microsoft "frameworks" ATL and WTL were the best thought-out and most useful, and reasonably lightweight. I never really got the hang of MFC, but WTL clicked very quickly for me.