First of all, I did not mean to be rude. However, I repeatedly indicated that I am not resistant to change. In fact, I am very much a "techie" guy. But the "accusation" of being "resistant to change" is leveled against every opponent of the Start menu as if it makes any sense. It does not. One should not be the opponent of progress but not all change should be regarded as progress. I hope that we understand each other on this.
Now, neither most power users or even mildly experienced users use the Start menu. Most either attach icons of their commonly used programs in the desktop or on the taskbar. One would only have to go to the start menu for obscure items. Then you are forgetting the instant search in the Start button that can bring up virtually every document. However, I hardly even use this. I place documents or programs that I work often in a Library and simply attach a Library icon to the desktop. Voila!!! The silly Metro-style Start screen is an impediment to getting work done, not a help.
I really could not believe your comments about large monitors. Of course things would scale up. But what may look cute on a phone, may look just passable in a tablet and really horrible on a large display. Do you want to see this Lego-style monochrome tasteless Start Menu when your computer boots up??? I think not. I hope that you have better taste than that. It is a throw-back to the days of early computing. In fact, Lenovo offers something very similar for its Thinkpad line of laptops and nobody hardly ever uses it. If you buy a Thinkpad, you would see an invitation to use this shell that looks very much like the Start Screen. I will be darned if there is a single Thinkpad owner that has installed it.
I had to chuckle on the "consistent" experience. MS is assuming that I would have a WP phone and a Windows tablet. It would not happen. WP7 is way behind the curve compared to iOS and Android and the gap is not closing. In addition, Win8 tablets may sell horribly (which would be likely the case). MS should worry about a consistent interface only if there is such level of penetration. Now, it is quite apparent that MS is using its monopoly on the desktop to push this interface on many users. This explains the stupid monomania with this Start Screen. The legitimate approach would be to let users enable or disable it. But MS does not want to do this because it knows that virtually all users will disable it!!!!
So, if you have strong confidence that most users would "love" the Start Screen, you should petition MS to make it optional. Let's see how many users would install it. My guess: Less than 5%. As you have seen in an another thread here, the overwhelming number of those who downloaded the Dev Preview, have abandoned it, very much like me.
I understand that not everyone is resistant to change. But just flat out rejecting it isn't the best way to go with this. You can search like one has been able to since vista. It takes a start key and a typed phrase. For the start menu, that was the point of getting rid of it. No one really uses it other than to access Libraries, Computer, or Control Panel. All the commonly used programs get pinned neatly, while it is usually a mess of folders. Speaking of such, I don't understand how the iphone, maybe android has grouping functions to reduce the amount of screens of apps.
Anyways, when you look at some concepts of Windows, like Whistler (xp), or even 2000, they've had a vision of modern design. I recently saw a screenshot of a build of 2000's login screen, it honestly is reminiscent of 8's user screen. In Whistler's bootup screen, it was a monolithic grey Windows flag with a four bar loading bar of red, green, blue, and yellow that seems metro like. They've had pretty impressive concepts, like Longhorn, but what usually has stopped them is either a) underproducing or b) user resistance. The selling point of Windows is that there is familiarity. But people have gone to android and ipad tablets and that has somewhat flourished. The main selling point of Windows is being attacked. People have been able to adapt to new interfaces that are much different from what they've used.
Microsoft had to change their flagship product to adapt to these times. I don't want to see a world of android, apple, and chrome os. Just no. This is a step in the right direction. Many market analyzers have been wanting Microsoft to release a Windows version to these times. A 16 year old model simply doesn't work on devices that people are going to, tablets. There has been Windows Slates, but no one wants to use them, because it isn't designed for such.
I wouldn't doubt the WP7. In reality, the happy android user is using a Samsung or Motorola Droid phone, not an lg phone running gingerbread. Even Verizon wireless deems those phones as "basic" phones. Those users from my experience would love something better, and when I show them a Windows Phone 7, they're awed by it's actual features and simplicity. I know, it's dumbing things down, but the average user isn't the brightest tech person, hence, that's why best buy is still around.
Even then, you cannot convince the average middle class person that has Windows 7 to upgrade to Windows 8 if there isn't anything beneficial other than faster startup and shutdown. You just can't. I've seen people take a year to decide to upgrade from vista to 7 because if they think it works (which it doesn't, a two minute startup with a couple minutes to wait for 3rd party programs to start isn't fast), they won't upgrade. It generally will take a review from a friend or family member that recommends it. When I show off Windows 8 to people, they're intrigued by it. They find it fascinating. They think it's cool and worthy to upgrade. I find pleasure seeing peoples' faces when I launched every app and program install on a laptop and switch to another user account in a couple seconds and launch even more apps and programs in that account and switch quickly back to the other. It's awesome to see and hear people being impressed by the Metro animations. It's great to hear people enjoying it.
Microsoft can't make a living supporting only power users of Windows. Although some find the Start Screen cumbersome, just wait. It's a build between alpha and beta. It's a build to promote metro app design. Microsoft isn't forgetting Desktop users, they realized that hundreds of millions of people use it every day. We've only seen one aspect of Windows 8. We haven't seen the other facet of it, Desktop. But that might be a stickler since that will be Metro designed. I bet that the Pictures library will be metroized. Just like when you browse for User Tiles and Lock Screens. I see Windows 8 as the transition from DOS to GUI and 3.1 to 95. It's truly a major time for a product that has been used more than a billion times in the past couple decades.
