[sanjiallblue]

I started off agreeing with you and then things kind of veered off in the other direction.

Yes, the "post-PC" world is what Microsoft is betting on right now. Though I think it should be kept in mind that the launch window between Windows 8 and the Windows 8 tablet isn't going to be very large and while the there will plenty of rancor in the tech industry over the transition, a large percentage of (and maybe even the majority) of casual PC users' first experience with Metro and Windows 8 will most likely be on a tablet (just so we're clear, casual users are people who use computers to mostly go on the internet, check email, do non-tech related small business work like word processing, listen to music and game). It feels to me that this is a very important distinction.

Those who have been afraid to make the jump to an iPad due to the unfamiliarity of the concept will now have a mid-ground to bridge that gap. They have a familiarity with Windows bridged by a new "tablet-like" interface. These people didn't do much work under-the-hood work on their computers, even in the simplest terms, so the lack of familiar control panel mechanisms won't be an issue. So long as the tablet version works, they'll be cool with it.

I also want to add that Microsoft can't follow what Apple has done because they aren't a hardware company. Apple has become what they are based purely on the merits of their hardware manufacturing capabilities, methods, models and the genius/lucky vision of a handful of men. Microsoft doesn't have this luxury and really that is the greatest risk facing Windows 8, because they're going to have a hard time putting together a tablet that's financially competitive with the iPad. Especially with the iPad 2's rumored price drop for the holiday season.