I've always said that the purposed of Windows 8 was not the interface, it was the introduction of their 'App Store'.....
I'm inclined to agree. Steve Ballmer found another way to monetize their cash cow, saw their competitors were doing it, and tightened the screws on software installation.
Which, I find rather ironic. Microsoft got its start by deciding to let third-party hardware and software take part in their market ecosystem, which (along with the IBM association) gave them the jump over Apple early on. It was the freedom to innovate that brought the hardware innovators in.
Unfortunately, in Ballmer's attempt to catch up with Apple and Android, they oversimplified the interface for the billion or so business customers who were quite happy with a start menu, thank you very much. The reviews are right; Windows 8 barks at passing cars.
I have no trouble navigating xOS or Android on my phablets, but Windows 8 looks like it ran out of pitons on the way across, and is shortly to run out of fingernails too. The fall won't kill them, but the landing might...