[stevenjohns]

Windows 8(.1) is great and I've used it since it was released. Going back to Windows 7 is seriously slows down my productivity in almost every way and I find it fairly inhibiting. I can see how from an administration standpoint it becomes difficult, but as an independent user there is absolutely very little wrong with it and it is miles ahead of Windows 7.

Talking specifically about live tiles: I love that I am able to hit the Super/Windows key and immediately see an overview of all of the information I care about. This includes notes, emails, weather, calender and stocks. I don't see how it failed at all-- it's wonderful.

I think this "Windows 8 sucks" meme should die in a fire, because it's grossly inaccurate at best. And this is coming from someone who primarily uses an OS X-inspired GNU/Linux distro (Elementary OS) as a daily operating system.

[jordanpg]

This custom homepage idea has been around since Google Home and probably any number of internet portals before that.

MS's version just ropes you into the MS App Store ecosystem. Found anything you want to download there recently?

[nightski]

It does nothing of the sort. I use the start screen all the time and none of the apps on it are MS App Store apps.

[aceperry]

Strange, but most people I know really can't stand windows 8(.1). Some have been beaten into submission by being forced to use it, but if anything, they'd prefer to go back to windows 7 or xp.

I may be a linux user, but that's only because windows sucks so bad. Lots of people will tell me that it's really my fault that windows is behaving badly on my machine. But when I explain to them that I don't have the same problems using linux on the very same machine as windows, they can understand my point.