

Windows 8: the seven roads not taken. - technologizer
http://techland.time.com/2012/11/19/windows-8-the-seven-roads-not-taken/

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nxn
Hmm, I actually really like the "Metro as an add-on" idea: If you're buying a
touch based device the add-on would just be pre-installed on the device for
you (since it actually makes sense on those devices), but you'd still have the
option of getting the plain old Windows 8 without it being mangled with UI
features that aren't relevant to a keyboard + mouse setup. Windows RT could
have then simply been the most minimal core components of regular Windows to
get the Metro add-on running.

In fact, with the exception of the Start menu mess up, most of the Metro UI
features already do look and behave like add-ons when in desktop mode. Also,
if I recall correctly, all the Windows Runtime libraries are pretty standalone
and layered on top of Win32 as is.

It's unfortunate for Microsoft that they did not take this approach, it would
have probably prevented most of the negative reception their new OS has gotten
thus far. I understand that they wanted to force the Windows Store into every
device possible, but they seem to have overlooked the obvious fact that if
people don't like Metro on the PC then they wont buy Metro apps on the PC.

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jinushaun
My vote? Option 1, where the Win 8 UI looked like this:

[http://www.theverge.com/2012/2/24/2822891/windows-desktop-
ui...](http://www.theverge.com/2012/2/24/2822891/windows-desktop-ui-concept)

I would buy that, not the current abomination. It's Metro without stupid
colored tiles. It's real design, not programmers implementing a spec.

