>>Windows 8 will run all desktop software that runs on Windows 7. There's an old style desktop that runs classic Windows desktop apps that you can access from the Metro start screen. Icons can also be pinned to the metro start screen and start desktop apps.
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>>The current preview makes the desktop mode hard to get to, but that will change. There will be plenty of vendors that will continue to serve desktop apps rather than Metro apps for some time to come as Metro doesn't lend itself to complex UIs.
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>>Metro apps on the other hand will require something different and VFP most likely won't be able to run on the Metro UI unless you use some trickery and call the Metro WinRT APIs to deal with the user interface (which is pretty futile to do from VFP).
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>>I didn't try VFP on Windows 8, but even if it didn't run I'm 100% sure it will run when Windows 8 ships just not in Metro mode. The same will be true for just about any other existing Windows app.
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>>My take on this is that Metro will fit only a subset of Windows applications which are geared towards the 'Apps' type of environment. Not every app shipping even speciifcally for Windows 8 will want to run Metro. Complex apps (think photo editing, complex business apps, apps heavy with data entry) are unlikely to be moved to Metro.
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>>We shall see, but you can bet that Microsoft will have to make sure that just about all apps that run on Windows 7 will also run on Windows 8. If they don't, Microsoft is done. They are taking a big gamble with Windows 8 and if it falls flat Microsoft will be in serious trouble. Somehow I don't think that will happen though - backwards comaptibility has always been Window's biggest strength.
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>>+++ Rick ---
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>So far, backwards compatibility for Win8 is a no brainer - Don't buy it and keep using Win7 unless you really need the new interface (read: tablet, POS, special needs people (like Apple users :P)).

Oi! ;-)