What the Windows ecosystem needs isn't a focus on UI, what it needs is a new set of APIs that obliterate older software and removes this insistence on backwards compatibility. I think that such a move could potentially be leveraged by Microsoft towards a massive development gold rush for new applications.
WinRT on ARM seems to be what you want. The Windows 8 store will certainly cause a gold rush as well.
But are you honestly arguing for forced obsolescence here? The most agile app developers would have a chance at a quick buck. The Windows team could kick out ugly code. And then?
I am most definitely arguing for forced obsolescence. The prime motivating factor being the fact that it is perfectly acceptable and "normal" to go through all of the hoops and ladders of inoculating your computer against viruses. And then when those programs fail, users have to go to take their computer to get their digital machine to be cleaned out as though it was a poorly built car in need of maintenance.
I'm not advocating that the API is cleaned out merely on the technical level, I'm advocating (with a lack of clarity on my behalf) that Microsoft needs to encourage an ecosystem of development creativity. Instead, we get a UI that is abstractly "optimized" for usage but is far removed from providing a pleasant experience for their users.
Apple is adding optional sandboxing to their system without intentionally breaking backwards compatibility in their APIs. Why wouldn't this work for Microsoft?
Re-vamping the API and removing the insistence on backwards compatibility are just the start. The bigger picture is that Microsoft needs to influence a revolution with their OS by allowing developers to bring human culture into the OS, much the same way Apple does. What I mean by "culture" is a melding of art and technology: it's cool to use a Macbook Pro (AND you can get shit done with it), but it's merely utilitarian to use any of the faceless PC laptops out there. Microsoft seems to think that they can accomplish a such change by applying different makeup to their OS, or by mimicking the Apple store. No, the real change will come when the tool makers can bridge the gap between the need to get something done and getting something done beautifully. This is a task that is beyond the larger development shops but is well within reach of the smaller developers. Perhaps Microsoft has a bias towards enabling larger developers, but this is clearly 80s/90s thinking.
At best what they've done since Windows XP is change the rat maze for their users by forcing them into a different cognitive "map" of how their PC is to function (ever try using the ironically named "ribbon" in Office?).
