So we're all excited to hear about the next big thing promised to us by Microsoft.  Well, so far there's been some pretty big talk about what we can expect from this next installment in the OS department.  Apparently, it's going to be a huge step over its predecessors; some are even going so far as to say that it will be the Windows 95 of this generation.  But will it be as great as the hype suggests?  It's difficult to say at this point, but we can certainly dream.

"Most people with any interest in technology have now seen or maybe even had hands-on experience with Microsoft's next big thing: Windows 8. And it's clear most that the hybrid mobile-desktop operating system represents a huge risk for the software giant. But many would argue that it’s a risk the company must take in order to become a major force in the brave new world of tablet computing.

The most important thing to realize about Windows 8 is that it's effectively two operating systems in one: The touch-tablet friendly, tile-based Metro interface that runs lightweight Web-app like programs, and the traditional desktop operating system. You get to the second through the first, and, though the desktop is arguably more powerful, it's relegated by Microsoft to being just another app among your Metro home screen tiles. (If terms like Metro are unfamiliar, see my Windows 8 Glossary)

Whether users will acclimate to the mind-shift required by moving between the two paradigms is something that will partly determine the OS's ultimate success."

Source: PC Magazine