I think that you're certainly right. The biggest problem is outlined by your initial question "If I am switching to a totally new OS, why does it have to be fro

I think that you're certainly right. The biggest problem is outlined by your initial question "If I am switching to a totally new OS, why does it have to be from Microsoft". I think, that such a question shouldn't, ever, be guiding a companies strategies. But for Microsoft, it is. Their products legitimate their existence through their Windows-Brand heritage. The actual question that they _should_ ask themselves should rather be "What innovative features could we create, that would make customers crave for our products". Sadly, their whole corporate culture has stunning difficulties coming to terms with this line of thinking. A new Non-Windows Microsoft-OS might actually work, if it would be crammed full of breathtaking, innovative, extraordinary great features (whereby features I mean useful, life-enhancing ideas, not gimmicks). And it's very, very difficult to start with a blank slate and come up with something distinctly different but still incredibly awesome and useful.