My qualms with windows 8 are not that they've changed the interface, but that they've removed key functionality for power users (all apps full screen, wtf?), as well as the below list:
The UI change, ok, I get that. But what portions of the WIMP interface remain are terribly designed, they look cheap and blocky.
IE10 is not as good as people claim. Even speed-runner-up Firefox walks all over it's butt, plus IE has long had the worst security record of any browser. Plus its' standards compliance is abysmal, MS even has the gall to build a website that scans your pages to advise how you should change them to better work with IE. Microsoft, build a browser that works, stop trying to change the Web to fit your crappy paradigms.
Windows 8 will not play DVD's out of the box. Enough said.
File Explorer is infinitely less powerful and usable than its' predecessor.
In a semi-humorous way, the BSOD, should you unfortunately ever see it, no longer displays the necessary technical information! All it shows is a sad face and minimal reports!
Application installers or apps themselves can no longer programmatically configure, change or query file associations or set themselves during installation as the default for a file type or protocol! File type associations have to be and can only be configured manually by the user from Default Programs Control Panel! The Windows 7 Open With dialog already respected user choice. If a program was associated with a file type from the Open With dialog’s 'Always use the selected program to open this kind of file' option, there was no issue of programs taking over the user's file associations.
All sound schemes except Windows Default have been removed.
Windows Update settings for showing notifications and allowing all users to install updates have been removed. Windows Update no longer notifies with a balloon notification that there are new updates available.
Search option to use natural language search has been removed from Folder Options.
Running Internet Explorer purely in 64-bit mode is not possible unless Enhanced Protected Mode is enabled which disables all addons. Otherwise, 64-bit IE10 opens 32-bit tabs.
Global search option to not perform a recursive search initially and search only in the current folder without searching its subfolders has been removed. Search is always performed recursively and the Ribbon has an option to search only the current folder which must be activated each time.
The ''Snap To'' mouse pointer option to move the pointer automatically to the ''default button'' in a dialog is broken on many re-designed system and application dialog boxes and windows in Windows 8 (e.g. the new file copy conflict dialog). The mouse pointer does not move or ''snap to'' the default button in several dialogs which are re-designed.
Chkdsk when run at startup hides any information about file system repairs besides % complete. This screen with scanning and correction details is gone when Chkdsk runs at startup and replaced by just a “Scanning and repairing errors” message with % complete indicator.
Device Manager no longer shows Non-Plug and Play Drivers or non-present devices (devices for which drivers are installed but the device itself does not show until it’s connected/on). The "Devmgr_Show_NonPresent_Devices=1' environment variable has no effect.
Pen, Ink and Touch Input Desktop features which Windows 7 had, including the The Tablet Input Panel (TIP) are no longer included. Some buttons ('num', 'sym' and 'web) are removed from the Handwriting input panel and UI changes to it require more clicks for example to switch from handwriting to keyboard, or access the editing commands (join, split, delete). It is now touch-friendly but no longer stylus-friendly. Desktop tablet features are replaced by a dumbed down touch keyboard.
Windows DVD Maker is removed
Network Map feature and some network profile management UI (setting a network as Private, Public, customizing the network name and icon etc) from Network and Sharing Center is missing.
Redialing options (redial attempts, time between attempts, idle threshold) for VPN, PPPoE, DSL and dial-up connections are removed. For PPPoE connections, the option to display progress while connecting and whether to include Windows logon domain are also removed.
View Available Networks (VAN) UI has been crippled with access to the most important dialog: the Network's Status dialog removed. The VAN UI now covers the notification area icons unnecessarily and the Metro look is out of place on the Aero desktop.
The VAN UI in Windows 8 also does not display Virtual Wi-Fi (hosted wireless) connections when they are started.
The ability to create an ad-hoc wireless network connection has been removed.
There is only one conclusion we can draw from this. Windows 8 is an ugly, crippled operating system that should not even be given away. It's speed does not make up for what Microsoft has taken out of the core functionality. Moreover, there has never been a worse time for MS to fail like this. Alternatives are not only available, but the competition to Windows 8 is now more functional, as well as more user-friendly.