iroken, the bar graph at the top of this thread has consistently shown 22.xx% in favor of classic menu. (22.22% shown at the moment) I realize, of course, that 36 random respondents doesn't create an accurate scientific poll and may not represent the actual percentages of potential buyers. But even at 15% of potential buyers, this is several million potential sales that will be abandoned and perhaps 15% of them will be lost forever.
I, for one, have resisted the "new" thing since Windows 2000, not because the "new" was different and required a learning process, but because every change has made the day to day use of my computer more complicated (unnecessarily) and requiring more and more user input to accomplish any given task. To me, this is NOT progress. To me, progress would be a single folder (directory) named "Saved Documents" that every file that I created and saved would go to by default. I could then create as many sub folders under Saved Documents as I desired. When I completed work on a document, photo, etc., I would click "save" and the menu would open, with Saved Documents expanded by default, and I would click whichever sub-folder I wanted the document saved to. Two mouse clicks (without confusion) would have the document saved.
I am, at the moment, away from home on my laptop (Windows XP Media Center) and I do not remember the file names on my Vista machine or my Win 7 machine, but the saved file folders on this machine - none of which I created nor have found the ability to discard (delete) are as follows: 1)Administrator, 2) All Users, 3) Default User, 4) Owner, 5) Owner.Gateway, 6) OWNER~1~GAT. These are in addition to one folder that I created named "Saved Documents". Windows will not allow me to delete any of the 6 original folders giving me a notice that "This is a system folder and cannot be deleted". Now, the biggest problem here is that if I forget to go through the process of click, click, click, click to get my document to my "Saved Documents" folder, it seems to just randomly throw the saved file into any one of the 6 useless folders.
This problem was further complicated with Vista and does not seem to be improved much, if any, with Windows 7 beta. I am screaming as loudly as I can scream hoping that they will listen to those of us who just want to do work with our computers and at least improve this situation before 7 goes mainstream. I believe that even if there is not a "silent majority" out there, that there is still a large audience who is less vocal than I, but still feels generally the same as I do.
Now understand, I have no beef with anyone who uses their computer in a different way than I do. For example, I don't play games with my computer, but I don't think poorly of those who do. I believe in the "different strokes for different folks" philosophy. I want certain things from my computer, and you (anyone else) want something slightly different. I believe that we can all be accommodated if Microsoft will listen to what we tell them we want instead of trying to decide for us.
Whew, what a rant. Thanks for listening and understanding, John