Windows 8 only makes sense on tablet/laptop hybrids. I think you'll feel differently about the usability of the system once you get to try it out on newer devices that are coming out. Here's an interesting article about one such device http://www.theverge.com/2012/10/9/3475334/acer-iconia-w510-p...
Disagree. Up front warning - I work for MS.
I've been using it on my desktop as my primary OS for a while now and I heavily prefer it over win7. The keyboard launching functionality is what sells it for me, and honestly I become pretty frustrated when using win7 now because of it. It's still the same OS, just with a different way of launching programs. Coming from a CLI/vim background, I really appreciate how keyboard oriented it is.
I have yet to see a typical user use keyboard shortcuts. My mother, for example, will still use the mouse to click File then Quit/Exit when she wants to close a program.
Your testimony tells me that Win8 may see better adoption amongst windows programmers than windows users.
I think rather his assertion is that Windows 8 has great keyboard shortcuts for power users, as well as an interface that is friendly to standard users. It's easy to look at the UI and think it will be horrible for m+k, but with keyboard shortcuts that gets better.
Exactly. Whereas windows 7 stood firmly in the middle ground between power users and novice users, Windows 8 now has two modalities of use. The mouse driven approach is friendly/easy to use for novice users, while the keyboard driven approach will allow power users to be more productive.