Then WMP is being removed. The Music and Video apps are complete garbage when using the desktop, if you want quick access to control your music then you either switch to it and have it take up your entire screen or you have it take up a quarter of the screen... Ditto for the Video app.

Meh. That doesn't bother me so much. I usually work split-screen with one side being a media player and the other being for all my other projects anyway. I can see how that might frustrate some people, though.

I liked WMP with DirectShow and all that. Codec packs work wonders!

I don't hate Windows 8.
I know style builders will make awesome themes.
Stardock may also produce WindowBlinds for Windows 8 PCs (I know people will be wondering who uses it anymore but think: Stardock has already got the Start8.)

...people still use Windowblinds?
Really? 0.o

Shockingly, there are some people out there that are still crazy enough to use Windowblinds. Om nom nom RAM.

I'm GLAD Microsoft got rid of Aero! Aero just hogs down PCs. And besides, I think Windows 8 Preview looks much better without all that transparancy anyway.

Hog? No it doesn't. A lot of the rendering doesn't affect the comp. speed.

It appears that Aero glass still exists in Windows Server 2012 RC (and likely Windows 8 RP, but I haven't tested it yet). After enabling the Desktop Experience in the Server Manager and turning on all visual effects in Performance Options, you get this:



There is still glass, but it's really toned down, and you can no longer adjust the strength of the transparency, only the color intensity of the window borders.

I don't see a reason why I wouldn't upgrade to Windows 8. If you like glass just switch to Linux with KDE - there you have your glass and some more glass (not that I like the Linux, but KDE looks nice ). For me, the appearance is fourth thing I need in OS. First three are stability, usability and support from community and publisher. If all of those conditions are satisfied, then I search for eye-candy.

On the other side, I feel pretty happy that Aero goes away. Plus I love Metro (I have Lumia 800 and WP7's really easy-to-use).

Looks pretty good to me. Doesn't really matter though, you can always mod and change the theme.

Yes but that isn't especially consumer friendly is it

And?

RP1 still has Aero (and the new format is not even an option yet), but the scroll bars and explorer are a lot flatter, looks more metro, but I'm not sure if I like it.

I also believe buttons have a subtle budge appearance though it's a little hard to see.

I kinda like the flat buttons in the Release Candidate - it reminds me of Watercolor

Yes I was thinking the same

Kind of offtopic, but perhaps it would've been better if they simply made the Music app as a Metro extension of WMP, like they did with Internet Explorer : same program, two front-ends.
Not only that, but the way WMP uses the Superbar is simply put - sublime. It makes using 1/4 of a screen seem like a ridiculous waste of space.

Haha yes I was literally just thinking that now. It would make a whole lot more sense than removing WMP entirely.
I assume Microsoft's tactic is to try and get even desktop users to switch over to using Metro apps...

Which I don't think will work. Why use Metro when you have a desktop?

That's like asking why Metro even exists for desktop users to be quite honest.
I've given up really...

I would like to note that the Music app is one of the few things I WILL use the Snap feature for, since you can use it in conjunction with the desktop. I usually have several things going on at once, so being able to switch albums without having to close my work window will be nice. I can see how it isn't for everyone, though, as even on my huge screen it took up a good chunk of the real estate.

Those screenshots do remind me of Aero Lite in the early M2/M3 builds. I still say they should bring back Watercolor as the default theme.

This.
And in my opinion, this is just the next step in the look of Windows, just as Aero was the next step for Vista and up. Aero, if I remember correctly, was highly critiqued at first. But look at it now, It is looked at as a necessary feature by many. I think in time the same will happen here. And I have no doubts in my mind that some coders will get together and find a way to re-implement DWM/Aero into Windows 8 if it comes down to that.