Jafo there are some things you need to consider. In a few years Windows 7 will be obsolete. In another few years after that Microsoft will drop support for Windows 7. You will be forced to upgrade. Windows 9 and Windows 10 will continue to look like Windows 8, except they will probably lock people into a Microsoft app market. The days of the old Start menu are gone.
So complain all you like. Either upgrade or get left behind.
First of all, I dislike your arrogance. Who are you?!?, to speak about MS future company policy like you would own it? You are in no position to support all the claims that you have made.
Secondly we already had the topic of support for Win 7..... (2020 at least). You see, many users of Windows are companies. And those companies dont like to spend million of € every two years because MS decided it is time for an new OS. Then there are million of home users.... people who dont buy a new PC every year but maybe 1 PC all 5 years. So go on... tell them that they need to buy a new PC all 2 years. That wont work. Same for the companies. A windows uprade does cost a lot of money.... both in license and work hours. There is no reason for a company to spend that money unless the upgrade offers a good return of investment. That leaves technical reasons. And you know..... the average thing that the average computer supported worker is doing will hardly benefit from an OS upgrade. My old company was still using Win 2000.... old you will correcty say..... but did it affect my productivity? Nope, it didnt, because if I hit buttons A B C in software D running on 2000 is not different to hitting buttons A B C in software D running on Win 7.
Of course you can try to force people and companies with technical limitations..... but you are not going to stand up against your competition if you do.
A company does not care in the slighest what runs on their computers.... as long it gets the job done and does not lead to unacceptable costs. So if MS would annoys it customer base with quickly dropped support it may soon learn that a company without customers is a dead company very soon.
Make the cost of running windows to high.... be it licence price or forced upgrade intervall and people will simple switch to Linux, Apple... ect.
Luckily for MS they have a partial monopoly.... that allows them to get away with things that would destroy a company on a competive market. But things can change.... and MS.... failed attempt .... to enter the phone market.... which is the entire point of Win 8 shows how desperate they are. In a world, where the desktop computer is one of many devices instead of THE device, incentive for people o to upgrade is low. Most of my friends use their computers for 3 things. Internet, e-mail, word processing. All tasks that do not remotly profit from having an OS upgrade. And so they reasonably take their time. BWT, this are all tasks that can be done with Linux... without trouble and for free. (Linux is difficult for the windows power user, not for the normal user that hits the power button and then starts one single program.)
Left behind? What? Huh? Are we on a treck southwest or are we speaking about the insignificant detail of running an OS?
Well use what you like I guess. I still say roll with the pack or get left behind.
Following peer pressure instead of using your on brain is often a sign of low self esteem.
You and a few others also seem to have one huge misunderstanding about how economy works. A company only decides what it offers, not who will buy it and when. Only the customer will make this decision. _It is MY money.... and if you want it..... you better give me a damm good reason. Companies that do not honor the wishes of their customers...... leave the market and die.
Perhaps your opinion of Win 8 is wrong.... perhaps it is right. It doesnt matter. The economic success of Win 8 will decide the fate of the OS and to some extent that of MS.
Personally I do however doubt that even a major market gain in the mobile market - which is unlikely as there is indeed fiercy competition - is enough to compensate the losses taken from the desktop market.