Yes, I realize the article speaks to the Enterprise version. Nor would that or a server be of any interest to everyone. Point being voiced is that in designing & building Windows8 the goals of the Team addressed many things. One of the most major areas of attention being business focused.
Some seemed to think MS had created Win8 as 'Social Networking' toy & not for traditional PCs & laptops (both of which are HUGE in the work/biz community) or for serious corp settings. The reality is very much the antithesis of this.
People take things as confrontational ...cus things are described does not say anyone must run out & buy Win8 & everything before is rubbish. BUT, there is something, absolutely, fundamental that is, oft, being missed. It doesn't matter whether one uses Win8 or likes it or not... Point is what makes it whatever & why is that cool or is it cool?... The fact that certain design goals were met & what they were is, in & of itself what makes Windows8 have value.
These transcend any specific items, details, Features, good or bad, preferred or not. But, these Basics that may be surprisingly, ironically & unexpectedly missed are what make the OS shine.
>Has made itself appealing to enterprise environments
>Vast compatibility base, both hardware & software
>Be happy on various devices, past, present & future - this, including mobile devices & touch screens, as well as conventional desktop PCs & laptops
>Be fast
> Not be resource demanding
>Be enhanced & or improved in several technical areas such as boot time, networking, connectivity, CPU & RAM handling, hardware assets access, graphics & more.
> Have native security enabled by default.
> Allow (easy) 'Build you own APPs" (Windows Dev Center: Tools, samples and docs to build Windows apps)
> Have an 'eye' to the future of computing
> And More Comparisons, aside, the mere fact that Win8 met its design goals makes it a sound, solid piece of work.
There is a fair bit, new or revamped, in Windows8 that is worthwhile & either better than before (it) or didn't, even, exist 'til, now. Other Windows have been or are good, in many ways...
@ least, as good as those,Windows8 turns a significant & inevitable corner on the road of modern computing.
The tile 'Start' screen & skepticism should not cloud or mask all that makes it possible to see Win8 in a good light
And it remains that whether, subjectively, one likes it, choses to like it, uses it now or later, by choice or otherwise...
An OS that met its (lofty) design goals & JUST for that it ends up earning kudos.
Cheers,
Drew