Just a wee response to things I hear said or see written, here & there...
Ok, let me try to clarify something a bit, here. It starts w/ this... (new) Windows OS releases are
supposed to be on a 3 year life-cycle. This does not mean when 1 is released the 1(s) before (it) suddenly die or become obsolete.
XP hung around much longer than it was supposed to, largely due to the release of Vista being delayed. MS was struggling w/ Vista & Windows 7 did a good job of turning things around. But, YES, there is 3 years between 7 & Windows 8... end of 2009 to
end of 2012.
Windows 8 is not yet Built or Released... Developer Previews & Betas do not count... & we have not even started testing & critiquing this forthcoming OS.
As for 'bloatware'... that gets added by 3rd party manufacturers when they pre-load the OS into their retail boxes... it doesn't get added to the OS itself. And, yes, it's great MSE will (now) be native, saving people putting it in, anyway.
Ever seen "New & Improved" on products @ the grocery store? Cars, annually w/ new models & deals on last year's? Is the 'old' suddenly no good? NO. Do folks sudddenly (have to) stop driving last year's or throw the box of Tide in the laundry room in
the garbage? NO. Look @ the changes in TVs, telephones & space travel. Times, society, technology, what we want, demand, think we need changes over time. Is it always better? Usually but, it's also, subjective, some will see the point, appreciate it, learn
it, explore it, welcome it or not, now or later, much is attitude. But, @ least @ the onset, is anyone forced to go w/ what's 'new'? NO. Still, it's really no different than accepting hybrid & electric cars, push-button phones or transatlantic air travel.
As for Win8 being fast... due to the
under-the-covers technology it's inevitable. As for its format... a lot of the rational IS due to phones, tablets & how things we do & use are going... to have consistancing across all devices & platforms. There are generations behind us
you welcome all this stuff, even take it all for granted. Although, I'm already, starting to tire of the arguing, I'll try to address this, alleged lack of a 'Start' (menu)...
1st, it is necessary to have TOUCH for Windows 8? NO!
The Start Menu was introduced in Win95 & is being retired w/ Windows 8, end of story.
Is this a bad, maddening or horrible thing? Ah, not necessarily, @ all... a lot of that depends of point of view.
Personally, w/ Windows 7, I have Quick Launch (which can, also, be used w/ Windows 8!), things Pinned to the Taskbar, Links for Favorites Bar items and NO Desktop icons. I rarely open the Start Menu itself, to find an occasionally want program but, mostly,
via Search, just start typing what I seek.
Now, we (will) have a Start Screen, rather than Menu. Can it be defeated, bring back the 'traditional' Start Menu by mucking about in the Registry? YES. There is mixed schools of thought about whether or not this shut of other things, as well, such
as the terrific 'new & improved' Task Manager. But, is it fundamentally necessary? NO. It is VERY quick & easy to go bypass or back & forth from the Start Screen to the actual Desktop. I have been using Windows 8 (DP) since September; once one
learns what the whole thing can do & how it works, it is actually damn sweet, convenient & easy.
Oh, and, somewhere some1 in here said they hated/would hate Windows 8 because of, among many reasons that didn't hold water, one HAD to have a password to get into Win8 which wasn't necessary w/ Windows 7... this is false... I use no P/W w/ my Win7 NOR w/ my
Win8. It's still recommended to use 1 but, not required.
As for Apps & Windows Store... both are here. Being able to build & write (Metro) Apps quickly & easily by all the geeks (mean in the nicest way, lol) will be
very excited by this & the rest of the world can benefit from or by the availablity of things the Developers make... if one is interested...and many will be...same as they love the stuff on their phones. Our culture is based on 'Free Enterprise'
& being competitive in the Marketplace & giving ppl what they want or making them 'think' they want it... It's, again, just how things are going... MS, in this aspect, is simply keeping in sync w/ other brands & offerings... the same as many other
industries & products. Nothing means one must 'upgrade'... just that this is what you can or will have IF they do or when someone is newly getting into computing. Time & tecnology marches on w/ or w/out a person's use, interest, attitude
or understanding.
I written more than I planned, ergo, I'll stop here 
Drew MS Partner / MS Beta Tester / Pres. Computer Issues Pres. Computer Issues www.drewsci.com
Trying to Clarify issues on Windows Developer Preview
