As an insider: Windows developers hated the full-screen start menu and were vocal about it. We were the first ones to experience it and generally thought, "They

As an insider: Windows developers hated the full-screen start menu and were vocal about it. We were the first ones to experience it and generally thought, "They're not going to ship this... right?" At some point, we were told that the design was set and no amount of complaining would change it. Windows 8 was designed before the iPad was announced, but that 3 year ship cycle this article discusses came back to bite Microsoft. Their vision was a hybrid system but then Apple came out and solidified themselves as the standard tablet. Microsoft lost their ability to define the market and the market liked Apple's definition better.