seems you need a break not a new game. i fail to see how some fail and say rift is wow with different graphics, that means to me that they assumed by error. trust me it's nothing like wow, there will be some things that seem familiar as you do with all programs. you going to give the users a big shit if you all of a sudden just change everything 100% as with what they are used to.
nothing stops you from writing a mmo that's totally different, however you might find it to be a failure as with the mentioned facts that users don't feel at ease when their known grounds are suddenly changed upside down.
it's even more stupid if not idiotic to compare something that's been running since 2004 with something that just came out. how many oses do we have to day apart from MS/Linux ? why do you think again are linux adopting the windows feel ? familiarity ? ease ? and finally why do we not have more os choices ?
maybe because linux and windows has been running so long it's going to take a second coming for another company to bring it out.
what you need is a break, play something else then make a decent observation imho. else we can just stop playing games period. because shooter A aims like Shooter B, rpg A quests like rpg B, rts A opens like rts B, indie A puzzles like indie and so on.
i've been mmo-ing since UO and believe me i've played the full range and with rift/gw2 finally player content and dynamic content are being rolled out as what we've known.
my only gripe is easification, yes now even the n00bs, the dumb, the idiot, the ZOMG SHINY wants needs to be cool and play the game without actually doing something that is really an achievement. then again if the game is too "grown up" or present too many real challenges to 12year old zergs of wow and alike will not like or play. problematic, but what else. maybe find a balance or add hardcore servers for people like me that really want to be challenged without getting it handed on a platter, then shouted to the server and get an erection at that so called achievement.