That's the message to developers at Build 2012, the conference at the corporate campus this week where executives outlined what the company has done to make writing new faster and simpler.

They also demonstrated new features developers can bring to apps they write for Windows 8, Windows Phone 8 and for Microsoft's cloud service, Azure, all in the hopes of sparking inspiration that will result in applications business customers will want badly enough to buy into Windows.

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The stakes are high. Microsoft has launched the new Windows 8 operating system designed heavily around touchscreens but also supporting mouse and keyboard. To complicate matters there are two versions, Windows 8 and Windows RT, only one of which -- Windows 8 -- supports traditional Windows applications. Windows RT supports only new touch-centric apps Microsoft calls Windows Store apps.

Toss in that Windows Phone 8 has just launched as well, sharing the same look and basic navigational scheme as Windows 8 and RT. The hope is that customers will want their phone, PC and tablet to have the same look and feel, share applications and share data across all devices, aided by Microsoft's cloud storage service known as SkyDrive.