Lol, don't count your eggs before they hatch. In your case you haven't had the eggs yet. Windows 8 is in development, yes, but the so-called "features" are the early roadmap that Microsoft aims to add among other features. You can't be serious and take it as such that that is all to Windows 8's new features. Windows 8 release in 2012 seems feasible. Windows 7 is doing great and will continue to do so well into 2012.

The touch-screen functionality is incredible. This is what people want - touch-screen with full PC functionality. Windows 8 will deliver just that.

I think a lot of folks are expecting "Windows 8" to be the typical "your next Windows upgrade". I don't think this is quite the case, at least at the moment.

I truly believe Microsoft has done Windows 7 right, and now aims to take the next step in computing - focusing on touch functionality. It is an area that has existed on Windows platform before, but never on this scale - across the entire version. It is true that there may not be noticable changes when compared to Windows 7 (e.g Home users etc.) but underneath Windows 8 is a brand new 'layer' that adds a tremendous amount of the "next step" in computing.

Watching the preview builds and videos, I have to say that Microsoft is yet again taking a risk. In my opinion, a risk that will work out both ways - those who want the touch functions and those who just want a newer operating system. Vista had too many new features/unwanted features and was considered "bloated". Windows 7 solved it all by trimming and making everything user-centric. Windows 8 aims to bring touch features to the forefront, something Microsoft has never done on this scale.

So in a way, Windows 8 may not be essential, but it is the next version of Windows that will improve user experience. Whether or not it will be popular among computer manufacturers / users, remains to be seen. I believe (most) fans of Windows 7 will upgrade to Windows 8, while computer manufacturers will *hopefully* start manufacturing even more touch-capable computers. The Metro interface is sweet. Never seen one in the flesh, but it is a really clean and neat interface.