Oh yes I agree Matthew, I was just trying to point out that I really don't see Metro as "a new start-menu"
I see it as a paradigm shift that Microsoft must make to remain relevant.
I certainly can't see that at all. What's behind this thinking is the misguided thought that desktops as a platform are going to vanish--pretty much overnight--just because some people are currently enamored with touchscreen portables (tablets, pads, cell phones, whatever.) Desktops are still the best way to get substantial work done and to do it in comfort with large, easy-on the eyes monitors. The mouse and keyboard are so much faster and more accurate than giant, smeary finger tips that the two aren't remotely comparable. Desktops also just happen to be the best value per dollar of any computing platform made (even *if* you count tablets and cell phones as 'puters.) Desktops beat 'em all in terms of bang for the buck. Desktops are where the real technology gets introduced--and the portables represent hand-me-downs in terms of technology--gpu and cpu technology, not to mention hard drives and SSD's. Todays' desktop tech will make its way to tomorrow's portable, no question about it.
What will serve to make Microsoft irrelevant in a hurry is to forget about the desktop as a platform.
But weather they are right or not will be left to time to decide, I sure don't know.
My personal opinion is that they should have just made two separate editions of Win8:
One for touch based devices likes phones and tablets. (With Metro interface)
And another for devices with mouse and keyboard for input (Without Metro interface)
Yes--Windows 8 for Desktops & notebooks and Windows 8 for tablets and other portables--being exactly the same except for the fact that the desktop edition of Windows 8 would allow the user to *disable* Metro--or to use it--whichever they desired. That would be simple in the extreme for Microsoft to do.
I do sure understand why they don't go this route, however it seems to be a route that works well for Apple so I'm a bit surprised that they dare bet so much that they are right...
Weird thing about it is that Microsoft is no stranger to marketing *several* differing versions of Windows every time a new version of Windows is released. Win8 is an exception to the Microsoft rule.
Ok, I like WIn8. I have no problem with a start page as opposed to a start menu. WIn8 has lots of goodies under the hood that Win7 doesn't have--just one in particular that I like is the fact that Win8 supports taking a CD/DVD ISO and mounting it in software--and then allows you to install it--just as if you had burned a CD/DVD and launched the install from disk, a la' WIn7. With Win7 you have to use hack software to do that currently as Win7 does not support the direct mounting of ISOs. That's just one advantage--there are bunches more of them! These differences need to be highlighted and explored by web sites--dwelling on the pro/con of Metro is self defeating if you want to talk about how good Windows 8 is, because at the end of the day all people are remembering is "Metro, Metro, Metro!" Win8 is far more than Metro. People aren't getting past the Metro UI with Win8 yet, partly because the final version of the OS has yet to ship, and partly because web sites like this one keep concentrating on Metro--pro or con, makes no difference--so that the pretense is that apart from Metro there's no difference between Win7 and Win8. Microsoft could do more to illuminate those differences for desktop buyers--and that, along with the very low price tag--will guarantee Win8 a gigantic audience from day 1.
Microsoft perceives that because of Metro Win8 will be a tough sell. That's why Microsoft is charging a mere $39 for a Win8 Pro license (equivalent to Ultimate in Win7), per license! Incredible. I'd like to say, "It's about time" that Microsoft did something like this!
Microsoft is really the key. They must do a much better job informing their prospective desktop-using, desktop-os-buying public of the plenty of good reasons to buy Win8 *apart* from Metro. Metro has been done to death, it's time to move on.
I basically agree with Matthew, too. I see little difference between a Start page and Start menu, except that the page is far more flexible than the menu--and that's what Microsoft needs to talk about, among many other Win8 specifics. It's absolutely certain that Win8 will be a better buy than Win7 ever was--but that, imo, is just part of the story, too.
And I agree with you, I think Metro is certainly a play to remain relevant and there's more to it than simply being a Start menu replacement (see the last paragraphs of the article). However, I also think the impact of the Start menu's removal is greatly exaggerated and Metro is a competent alternative for a vast majority of users/scenarios.
