an advanced C++ application framework that makes it easy to produce powerful C++ applications. The framework is a based on a thoroughly modern C++ design and has built in support for Rapid Application Development (RAD).
a development framework with a similar target of Microsoft's .NET or Sun's ONE platform, but instead of using Basic/C# or Java as programming language, it bases C++ as core implementation language.
Why is Windows so crappy? Read the explanation straight from the head of development since 1992. Not actually a .NET blog (at least they try to make the brainwash not so evident)