Hi,
Might there be a Scrivener version planned for the Windows 8 based tablets?
Will there be Windows 8 support for the Scrivener for Windows version?
Thanks in advance,
CB
I’ve already been testing Scrivener on Windows 8, and seems to be working fine thus far (obviously we don’t officially support running the software on a beta operating system). I’m not testing on a tablet, to be clear, but through a virtual machine. So long as a tablet interface uses standard mouse and keyboard events, it should be okay. It’s hard to say though; pure speculation at this point.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but since Windows 8 for tablets is going to be written for ARM processors, and since there is no emulation for x86 programs, only programs re-written for the ARM architecture will run on Win8 tablets. I’ve gathered that while the difference between Win8 for PC and Win8 for Tablets is not so drastic as it is between Mac OS X and iOS, there are still major barriers to running the same program (recompiled for each processor); the most user-centric difference being the Metro interface vs. “desktop mode”, which would require re-writing the GUI interactions with the rest of the program.
I’ll leave it to more knowledgeable people than myself to say for sure, but it seems to me that Lee would have to support 2 very different platforms if he were to try and support Win8 for Tablets.
I really have no idea. I know as much about Windows Tablets as I do about industrial lathes, and have about the same amount of interest in them both. 
There will be intel tablets and ARM tablets sold with Windows 8. Someone who buys an Intel tablet could presumably use the current software, although whether the user interface would be awkward on a tablet is a separate issue.
Someone who buys an ARM tablet won’t be able to use Scrivener unless it’s ported to Metro ARM. The ARM tablets will be cheaper than the Intel ones most likely, though whether anyone wants these things has yet to be seen.
You should be able to use scrivener on a Windows 8 Pro tablet (such as the MS Surface Pro). Touch will work on these devices, but since Scrivener isn’t yet formatted for touch, your mileage may vary. Interestingly, many of these devices may come with a stylus which could help you use it. The MS Surface Pro will probably be available in January. Others from Lenovo, Asus, Dell and HP may be available prior to the holidays.
On Windows 8 RT tablets, the desktop won’t be available to anyone beside Microsoft and I believe all software loaded will have to happen via the MS App Store. That would require a specific version to be built by the developers and it would probably be a major rewrite. Probably more than they’re willing to take on at this stage.
Think of the difference between Pro and RT devices like this: the Pro will be much more like a hybrid between a desktop PC and a tablet, where the RT will be a straight tablet. The key trade-off? Battery life versus flexibility. The RT should have a battery life that compares to the iPad. The Pro will have faster processor, more capabilities, but will burn through battery quicker.