Windows 8 is the desktop with a phone UI haphazardly bolted on. It's not a phone UI that includes a desktop "app."
I beg to differ. Windows 8 is the beautiful, new M$/Metro interface with the naked -> no-start-button <- legacy desktop taking second place. I think it will remain for a while until all software is written in the new M$ interface. Then as McCartney ended the song "Helen Wheels" -> "Say bye-bye"
Paul McCartney and Wings-Helen Wheels - YouTube
Do you expect huge multiplayer games and professional software to be writen in Met...uhhm... "new Windows 8 UI" and be available on the Windows Appstore only? I think its the song by McCartney called "Friends to Go" will be more suited on Windows 8 at the moment. Micrsoft's "friends" such as OEMs may not adopt Windows 8 that much and users might skip Windows 8 or go adopt Linuxes or Macs instead.
Correct. I think that is exactly where M$ is headed. The introduction of the new Metro GUI, placing it in first in priority, and placing the classical desktop GUI as second is directional in a plan of drastic change. Their plan is like time -> It flows in one direction. The removal of the Start Menu and replacing it with the Metro Start Screen is also another huge clue. I think this is their plan, whether anyone likes it or not. One may dam a river as it flows to the ocean, but sooner or later it will reach the ocean.
I understand the rewriting of any legacy programs in the new M$/Metro interface, whatever software it may be, will be a big undertaking. It will not happen overnight. I'm thinking a 2 to 3 year time period. We may think of the M$ store as their new means of a software retailing business. They are simply mimicking Apple, Google via Android, Walmart, Cosco, one's local grocery store, gift shop, etc. Nothing new -> One buys wholesale and sells retail for a capitol principal called profit. In this case on consignment. Let's see....We've been selling OSs for 30 some-odd years, so why don't we get into a software retail business just like others are? Dah! If M$ is accused of anything, it should be that they're slow in this department!
Also -> LQQk at all that money OEMs are making on hardware. Why don't we get into that business too?!! It's called capitalism. It's what generally makes the world go around. We all have the right to get into any business we so choose. God help us if the government or anyone takes that right away!
I think all this will lead to better, less complicated, and more efficient computing. If one wants to remain nostalgic and remain in the way things are performed now, that's one's choice. I for one, very much like and will go with the change.
@ SIW2
It depends what you mean by the "Desktop".
I believe it was the first "Windows" GUI added to DOS.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Desktop
I believe once all software, which is being performed now, is rewritten and M$ works out the multi-monitor and multi-pane problem, the "Desktop" GUI will disappear. We will view it in the new GUI called Metro.