Isn't it clear they have a particular goal (to ELIMINATE the "desktop" metaphor) and the ONLY time they pull back from single-mindedly pursuing it is when they've pushed too hard too fast and have to backpedal?
They don't ever want us to have a good Start Menu (from them) ever again! And they WILL move on from the desktop!
If they SAY they put a Start Menu back, but in fact did something that's worse than ever, then people will say, "well, Microsoft needs to get rid of the Start Menu and do something better". Hell, if their motives were genuine they *could* have just resurrected the stock Start Menu from Win 7 or pre-release Win 8. But no, they didn't do that.
The number of people who don't yet see their game is staggering.
That they continue to single-mindedly pursue some "future vision" that's not better than what we already have may be even more staggering.
Single-mindedly. Like not being able to imagine a mobile device interface that's different from what's needed on a serious computer.
-Noel