As we all know by now, Metro is not long for this world as an official term used by Microsoft. So under the assumption that Metro will be forcibly tossed out in exchange for something new -- and most indications that it will -- what term is going to replace it?

Metro is a tough act to follow, since it so perfectly described the text and signage heavy design language while also sounding unique. Paul Thurrott has chimed in with his own thoughts on the matter, calling the expunging of the Metro name a "Soviet-style rewriting of history". But following a few criticisms, Thurrott does eventually offer up a possible solution: WinRT. Here's his explanation:

You may recall that Windows 8 includes a new runtime engine, the Windows Runtime, or WinRT. This is analogous to Win32 on the desktop side, for the most part, a runtime in which apps/applications run, and a set of APIs that developers target when creating these solutions. In the same way that one might refer to the desktop as Win32, one might likewise refer to Metro as … WinRT.

It’s perfect. Microsoft already “owns” it, is already using the RT name in some other related products (Windows RT, Surface), and it’s descriptive and will transcend and outlive Windows 8. The WinRT environment is consistent between Windows 8 and Windows RT. And related Metro, excuse me, WinRT user experiences, like those on Windows Phone and Xbox, could simply be renamed to match (e.g. WinPRT and WinXRT, respectively, or whatever).

We would otherwise agree with Thurrott that WinRT ticks off all of the boxes for an ideal brand name, except for one big one. It's not cool. When the average person hears that the style of a Windows 8 app is called WinRT, they're going to immediately associate that clunky term with the Microsoft of old which is something the company should be avoiding at all costs. So while it does kind of 'fit' in terms of legal security and developer relations, it's simply not as sexy or progressive as Metro was for the consumer angle.

Is WinRT a good solution in your opinion, or do you have your own thoughts on what the new term should be?

Source: WinSuperSite