The rabies seems to have spread to the entire rest of the planet, too. 98 percent of smartphone buyers seem to "irrationally" not want Windows Phone phones whether they're slashdotters or not and despite the glowing reviews and spontaneous euphoria it induces in blog post commenters.
I believe this is mainly due to the entrenched market of Apple/Google OS phones. They were here first, there are more apps for them, their methodology and UI is ingrained in the minds of the 98% of smartphone buyers, who by now are likely on their 2nd or possibly even 3rd smartphone. People are used to them, they like them fine, they've integrated the way they work into their lives.
I think the newest iteration of the Windows Phone OS is great - the Zune, despite its flaws, had an excellent and intuitive interface and WP7 draws on that. I think it could've been a real competitor if it hadn't come out 2 years too late to make a splash. The old iteration of Windows Phone OS was absolutely horrible and tried to bring a desktop experience to the phone, which clearly isn't needed. The new version is fantastic by comparison, particularly for the non-technical user - it's easy to use, has a clean and elegant UI, and works smoothly and efficiently. Reputation and lack of saturation are all that's keeping the casual user market small - it's also hurting their app market which just drives it down further.
I think that WP7 might not be for most of the /. crowd, since it's more about broadened functionality than form or ease of use for many of us - we're all used to complex and responsive interfaces that maximize data/options while minimizing "helper" functions. Hence the trend towards Android devices. Also Micro$oft Raargh Smash.
Apple strikes more of a balance, with lots of options but more streamlined and rigidly controlled user experience. Anyone who loves their iPhone but doesn't really buy all that many apps and thinks that it's sometimes "too complicated", should probably look into a Windows phone.
Right now I think all that's holding MS back is their past, the OS is really great but they're late to the party and have a bad rep. I would consider Windows Phone if it had wider app support, but at this stage in the game that isn't very likely. I don't, however, ever want or need Metro on my desktop - prepare for the next flop in Win 8, MS.