I really do dislike this push towards 'cloud' computing.
I don't trust it, I don't trust corporations, I don't trust hackers, and I certainly don't
trust our governments.
Nor am I thrilled with the concept of 'pay-per-use' programs/applications from the cloud, I
believe in paying for my software once, not every time I want to use it.
I insist that my files, applications (not 'apps', I hate that word), and programs remain
on my machine, under my control. Just to make things clear, I have nothing to hide,
but equally I have nothing I wish to share without my express permission, or to lose.
If MS continue in this direction, I can see myself staying with Win 7/Office 2010 for some
time to come. Either that, or going wholly open-source/freeware.
Neither do I need or want a tablet. AFAIC, they are nothing but a cross between a very
expensive toy and a fashion accessory. Basically neither fish (phone) nor fowl (PC).
My Android phone is more than adequate for the limited amount of mobile computing
that I do (I'm decidedly not the 'social-networking' type, nor do I spend all day on
YouTube). For anything more 'serious' I take my 'small' laptop (Acer AS5735/Win 8).
And I can't ever see myself buying a touch-screen laptop or desktop. The whole
concept is counter-intuitive. Also, I can't stand a dirty/smudged screen.
On my smart-phone, I love the concept of the touch-screen. But it does nothing
for me on a 'real' computer'. And I can't see that changing for me in the foreseeable
future, Win 8 notwithstanding.
If it works for you, that's just great. But it doesn't for me.
Windows 8 does grow on you, once you have tweaked it to suit your individual tastes
regarding start menus etc. I'm starting to quite like it, and there is much to like about
the OS, even if you don't like Metro.
But, it is the direction that MS is pushing users, especially desktop/laptop users, that
concerns me. It's somewhere that I have neither the need nor the desire to go.