Windows 8 - not necessarily a problem.

[smoledman]

The master vision is that Microsoft sees a convergence of form factors and the need to be able to run the same app on any of them. Of course Windows RT is just for tablets on ARM and will not run any x86 apps. However those tablets will be marketed like iPads - for kids, grandma, Netflix. For business, they will buy x86 tablets running Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro to get the benefits of running their legacy apps. Then there's the form factor revolution going on:

touch-screen laptops & tablet hybrids(Asus Transformer Prime). I'm dreaming about owning a hybrid running Windows 8 Pro. The main issue I'm seeing so far is that power users who do all their work in the WIMP paradigm have no use for Metro UI. Not only that, the idea of logging on and having to explicit select the Desktop tile to get back to "classic Windows 7" is offensive to them. Then there's the fact that Microsoft removed the classic start menu from desktop, forcing you to go to Metro for search. Essentially if Microsoft wants the 'power user' community to upgrade they should provide a way of completely disabling Metro UI.

 

[Dr McKay]

There have been howls of protest over each and every version of Windows.

XP - Was slammed for looking too cartoony, and "Power" users slammed the new style start menu, and rushed to disable it.

Vista - New Start menu was slammed again by "power" users, who disabled it and went with the classic start. Ive seen people argue that the Search in XP was better than Vista and 7

7 - Lack of classic start menu was heavily critisized, and there were howls of protest over the fact that the Taskbar had changed, and grouped into icons, self proclaimed "power" users rushed out en mass to disable it and switch back to classic taskbar.

All in all, I've just learnt that people simply don't like change and are stuck in their ways.

 

[smoledman]

There have been howls of protest over each and every version of Windows.

XP - Was slammed for looking too cartoony, and "Power" users slammed the new style start menu, and rushed to disable it.

Vista - New Start menu was slammed again by "power" users, who disabled it and went with the classic start. Ive seen people argue that the Search in XP was better than Vista and 7

7 - Lack of classic start menu was heavily critisized, and there were howls of protest over the fact that the Taskbar had changed, and grouped into icons, self proclaimed "power" users rushed out en mass to disable it and switch back to classic taskbar.

All in all, I've just learnt that people simply don't like change and are stuck in their ways.

Exactly. I remember all the outrage about the Windows 7 taskbar, now it's the best thing since sliced bread.