Microsoft is mounting a strong campaign to win over the software developers to provide apps for Windows 8. Although the software has appeared with good reviews, it is weakened by the lack of mobile software apps.

Windows 8, the new Surface tablet and a range of Windows-based phones needs to convince more developers to sign up to create the thriving 'ecosystem' that made PCs so successful. Microsoft has been running an event called 'Build,' is the equivalent of Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference and Google's I/O event.

Microsoft gave each paying attendee one of its Surface tablets and 100 gigabytes of free space on its SkyDrive online storage service. Nokia threw in a free Lumia 920 smartphone running Windows Phone 8. It has an uphill battle even big names such as Facebook and Twitter were missing from Windows 8 when it launched.

Twitter announcing that a native Windows app would be rolled out "in the months ahead." Dropbox, a fast-growing cloud storage service, also announced it would soon have a Windows app, as did online payment firm PayPal and sports network ESPN.
Facebook has not got a Windows 8 app, despite the fact Microsoft is a minor shareholder.