The problem is that Windows has always been an open system, and most people have always used Windows.
Not really a good excuse for not developing linux. It is however human nature to go least resistance route and settle in nice zone instead of pull finger zone. If they had actually helped linux along I'd bet we wouldn't have had this thread at all. Now that nice zone is taken away they are angry? Shouldn't we be angry at them for doing nothing with something that could have been great? Last windows threat I thought was a threat was silenced... and it really looked at corel linux could have done the job or at least start something worthwhile.
Now I'd must have used either use some from of black magick or totally diffident windows 8 to install what I want and not being forced to use the windows app store with my dev, public and final release of windows 8. Then again that is only the case for RT as I've been trying to say all a long. Windows 8/pro does allow you to make use of it without having a gun to your head.
I'm pretty miffed about it myself. I won't be getting Win8, and I judge that a lot of other people won't too.
I take it you have at least used the public preview?
This might be an even bigger disaster than Vista.
Vista was lank kak because it was too resourceful. In all three builds I've played with windows 8 has performed pretty well. In fact I'd say that I/O** is a lot better than windows 7. Maybe applications that doesn't close might seem wrong, but is it when there is a proper memory manager in place**? So start button is gone, metro UI is there... I'd agree that that metro screen with the blocks on are quite terrible and I'd swapped that around for my own 'start menu' or at least stardock's one. The UI imho, talking about the clear look and feel of it, please note not the app-blocks-thing, is really better looking that windows classic ever was. Up and too windows 7 I'd always remove all the fluff and just went classic, because I hated it.
If this is what all future Windows OSs are going to be about, then I judge a giant portion of people will move over to Linux.
It's a bitch not being in nice zone hey
This might be really good for linux, maybe some people can finally pull finger from arse and help to develop what should have been already in place.
In the end all I see is developers now bemoaming the wrong end of the stick being pretentious.
**Under correction.
Finally: Let's used the OP's post as a real life example:
Product manager: " Hey John I would like to know if we should use windows 8. "
John: " It's kak, Notch said so. "
Product manager: " Thank you. "
/PD goes off to Luke rather...
Product manager: " Hey Luke I would like to know if we should use windows 8. "
Luke: " I've heard it is kak, but with my initial investigation I can say that it would give you boost in I/O, Mobile usability, <insert other cons and pros>. "
/PD weights in the cons and pros
Product manager: " We don't really have mobile now, but it might take up. However better I/O would be great, but I'm not sure about the app store. "
Luke: " That is only in windows RT. "
Product manager: " Seeing that we are still in windows x and some of the technologies, which outweighs the negatives in the short and long term, I would say lets get 10 and do 1 month trail before committing further. "
Personally I'd rather have the second scenario before just going on a whim which so far seems only to be true in one of the three case, meaning RT is limited, 8 and 8 Pro is not. I'd love to see how the first scenario flies before an exec board. Still waiting on the comparison from Notch, OP, JP etc etc why windows 8 is bullshit or fuckedup. Sensationalism is just miff, the end.
If there is more cons to windows 8 both in hardware and software then sure stuff it, lets stay on windows whatever. However if it is only about RT then I'd wonder where the real bemoaning sits. So far it seems out of their own procrastination they are now in a fix.