TL;DR version: lots of potential, I like what I'm seeing thus far.
Slightly more elaborate version: Microsoft's next gen of the Windows family is (and has been) out for public preview (which can be freely downloaded here). Installing it on a blank drive was a breeze and without issues. With the exception of my laptop vendor's driver for dynamic graphic-card switching, all other hardware was detected and properly configured. From the get go, you can tell that they are making an effort to modernize their well-known and familiar UI; however, this can end up being a double-edge sword for them.
Metro UI: At first, while I found the Metro UI visually pleasing, I wasn't sure how to navigate my way to the familiar and ubiquitous Windows desktop paradigm we all are so accustomed to. Also very obvious is Microsoft's concerted effort to foster and push its own computing ecosystem (SkyDrive, Bing Maps, Search, Internet Explorer, and so forth) which is something they have not very good at in the past few versions of Windows. Don't get me wrong, they are not trying to put a wall around you or insistently annoying you. No, they simply visually encourage you (i.e. prevalent screen real estate) to use those services and apps for a better experience. So, after some trial and error, I figured out how to get to the familiar desktop. Once there, the first thing I realized is that there isn't "Start" button in the task bar. So what happens when you click the "Windows" button on your keyboard (or CTLR + ESC)? You are taken back to the Metro Dashboard. And then it clicked (in my head). The Metro Dashboard is the "start" menu but taken literally -- which is a really neat thing -- but it will take some getting used to for some users. After installing some necessary software (i.e. Chrome and VirtualBox), I set out to "explore". So, I learned when you put the mouse pointer near the lower (or upper) right corner a menu shows up gives the options of settings, search, devices, share, etc. You can go to the Start area and once there, you can press ESC to return the the app you were working with. Also in that Start dashboard, if you click on your username, you'll see a menu with options to log off/switch users and so forth. While in the Start dashboard, if you right click, you'll get a choice to see all installed apps which can be helpful if you are looking for an app but don't remember its name. Also really neat, while in that same area, as soon as you start typing anything, windows will search for an app with those letters you have just typed.
Apps Compatibility: all apps I've installed have worked without any problem. VirtualBox installed and runs an Ubuntu image flawlessly. Chrome runs without a hitch. Adobe Lightroom 4 and Photoshop CS5, again, both seamless and flawless. The two exceptions have been Cisco AnyConnect VPN client (which works fine under Win7) and the ATI graphics card auto-switching driver. Neither of the latter work at all. They both installed without warnings or errors, but when it's time to run, they error out. I also installed some dev tools (MS VisualStudio 11 for the Web, Notepad++, Dart editor/VM/Dartium, etc.) and all work well and otherwise as expected. Steam client and other games work well (well, the programs run well, the graphics are horrible due to driver issues, as explained above).
Not tested: IE10. While I've heard really good things about IE10, truth is Chrome is working very well for me, so there really isn't a good reason for me to try IE10 to any meaningful extent.
Overall, I think Windows 8 has serious potential. I've become familiar with the Metro Dashboard in a short time and I actually enjoy it. Microsoft also seems to have taken notice that users want to customize their computer experience (specially when it comes to themes and wallpapers), so, they now let people customize the start screen and the lock screen (both customization options missing in Vista and Win7) as well as the desktop and the background of the Metro Dashboard. My only concern would be that for older people who aren't tech savvy who have finally -- after so many years -- gotten used to the Windows workflow that this new workflow/UI paradigm will get them confused and flustered which in turn can turn them away. At any rate, I think the OS is behaving really well considering it still in beta and definitely showing lots of promise. So, I would say that, if you have the time and a blank drive to experiment with, you should give Windows8 preview a try.
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