[adorno]

MS’s desire to lock everyone into a walled garden model.

You need to start looking around a bit more, because, when it comes to "walled gardens", there is no more closed environment than you will find with Apple and with the Android system, which are all about locking people in with the unending number of apps in the apps stores. That argument is no more valid for Microsoft than it is for Apple or for Google. With Apple, they control their whole ecosystem, including the hardware and software and services. With Microsoft, they still don't have control of the hardware side, although they are now making Surface tablets. Microsoft also doesn't control the applications side of things, where just about anybody can still code for the traditional desktop mode, with no loyalties or fees needed to be paid to MS. In fact, even with Windows 8, it's still the most open ecosystem around (and no, no need to bring up Linux, since it's not even in the same ballpark when it comes to usage).

Regarding the menu driven mechanism to launch an application of open a file, it's still a lot easier to do with Windows 8, since you can pin any application or file to the Start screen, and launch with a single click from there. And, it's actually easier to organize and customize than the old desktop environment.

To me, it sounds like you actually haven't spent any time using Windows 8, or you come with the negative bias that Windows haters or Microsoft haters bring to the discussion.

[quimby]

there is no more closed environment than you will find with Apple and with the Android system, which are all about locking people in with the unending number of apps in the apps stores.

Your statement is somewhat confusing, but apple and android are different. apple IOS is closed. only apps from the app store will load. But in android, you can use the play store and load non-play store apps. Try loading a custom keyboard on your i[phone/ipad...