I don't think they are putting too much focus because to be honest microsoft even though has had the tablet idea for so long has never produced anything good touch based up until recently with zune hd/windows phone. So they should dedicate some time into touch because they have lost a lot of market in that area of mobile computing. And if they can design a way for me to use the stylus and tablet like a journal like the courier device all the better. But I do agree cleaning fingerprints is annoying especially of others!

The desktop is very much still the main source of computing. Just like all this cloud thing. I would never use the online storage as a main source of storage. With time maybe this will all change maybe touch will be the modern thing. But as of right now it isn't the case so they should dedicate time in touch but also remember to rework desktop to make it functional for us users.

I was reading this

"It’s worrying because it’s now clear that Microsoft can’t Metro-fy things like Windows Explorer and is instead relying on the using a ribbon UI. Problem with the ribbon is that it’s hardly touch-friendly."

Thought to myself maybe there will be a new type of explorer specifically designed for the Tablet/touch type machines. What are you guys thinking? (Obviously you would get to decide which you want to use) -- has this been talked about at all? Is this what MS plans on doing because that would be the most wise thing to do lol.

Originally Posted by Darryl Licht

I doubt that touch is going to go main stream for desktops and laptops... Not with parents or grandparents!

The last thing I want near my screens are sticky, grimy, dirty, little fingers! My mouse, or touchpad, is easier to clean than a typical widescreen! IMHO!

With Apple's new OS (OS X 10.7 Lion) you need the track pad add on to do anything quickly on it. Microsoft is just trying to close the gap that Apple has been making the past few years. Thats all they are trying to do. As long as I can turn the features off after install I am ok with it.

Originally Posted by Deception

I was reading this

"It’s worrying because it’s now clear that Microsoft can’t Metro-fy things like Windows Explorer and is instead relying on the using a ribbon UI. Problem with the ribbon is that it’s hardly touch-friendly."

Thought to myself maybe there will be a new type of explorer specifically designed for the Tablet/touch type machines. What are you guys thinking? (Obviously you would get to decide which you want to use) -- has this been talked about at all? Is this what MS plans on doing because that would be the most wise thing to do lol.

Interesting I actually didn't remember reading that. To be honest. I think they can't metro-fy in the fact that they cannot make the desktop flat. (which is true) The desktop should not be flat and the metro start screen is actually boring to me. However they can take some things from metro like the dynamic typography better design ideas and execution and apply those. They want to use the ribbon ui because they don't want a metro chrome. They probably want a flat chrome which wouldn't work against all the usual customization that goes on in windows with users. It is not touch friendly but so will any desktop that isn't designed to be touch friendly. I mean I have used touch based windows seven and it can work if you have a big enough screen and if you are very accurate but overall it's not a easy task to use something that was built for a mouse and more accurate based usage.

What they could do and I think they have done it is have an explorer for touch. I think they have that on the first windows 8 video. But maybe it's not as "fancy" as the explorer with ribbon ui is? I believe it's in the first video I haven't seen it in a long time.

If not they could always apply the ideas of metro and touch based and make an explorer designed for tablet/touch. I mean it'll be hard to make a user-friendly and functionally beautiful UI but I think they can do it if they try.