All this excitement over what is essentially just another iteration rather than innovation. No doubt it'll sell well, has to right, OEMs keeping Microsoft alive today and have been!
This essentially encapsulates the situation. Imagine a failed OS (Metro, WP7) gaining traction via MS' universal-licesning strong-arming? If consumers are looking for a $400 PeeCee, the only real choice will be something running Windows 8.
Even that Vista embarrassment - still the running joke of the industry - gained sizeable share by sheer force of numbers.
Of course, this a post-June 2007 (and certainly post-January 2010) environment and the rules of the game have changed. Some companies have changed along with them (and in time.) Others have not.
http://www.neowin.net/news/gartner-cuts-worldwide-pc-shipment-forecast-for-2011
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/21/microsoft-idUSN1E76K1RP20110721
Signs and portents . . .