Microsoft's argument on the UI changes are that you now have one UI across all devices (desktop, laptop, phone, table). Additionally, we're moving toward a world of moble and touch devices and the old UI doesn't work well for touch. It makes things easier for the user. I'm not saying Microsoft is right or wrong on this. I can tell you, it wasn't developed in a vacuum. Microsoft typically does lots of actual user testing on these things.

But people complained when moving from DOS to Windows and Windows to Windows 95 and then again to XP, etc, etc. Apple has changed their UI more than once and people complained there too. It comes down to humans are creatures of habit and don't like change, so any change is bad. Microsoft could change the name from Windows to Doors and do nothing else to the product. People would still complain. Yes, we're all just a bunch of whiners. (and please note, I'm putting myself in that group)

>BSOD happened here since 2005 on XP twice - and a faulty HD might also be trouble for W8. Fast booting is a pro, and if finger input is used it will be great. But I am not there yet. Paying for security maintainance and some tightening for fast boot - yes and gladly so. But always reshuffling the interface with no real benefit and trying to sell the same sow a fifth time as new silk purse while forcing me to learn still another way to use it - that part I dislike. Asking for money for the media stuff sold as a special download "because the license cost for 3rd parties should be handled fairly" is totally bogus, as I must have oodles of those licenses already with my old stuff. Write a license mover disabling that in the old stuff I own ;-)
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>And since I paid for half a dozen upgrade licenses I will decide just on personal taste if I prefer W7 or W8 prof as main Win desktop VM guest OS. Probably will go either for a Surface Pro or other Intel pad or get one touch enabled screen to test and stay with Win8.