I don't see why this is a big deal. M$ will release an OS whenever they feel like it. There will be immediately backlash, and hate. Within 6 months M$ will say that it is a commercial success, because they've shipped a large amount of computers that feature it.
During this joyful 6 month period early adopters will determine whether they recommend the switch. There will be a roughly 50-50 divide between the early adopters, which will polarize the trolls on each side. Cue the ensuing flame war of haters on each side, while those of us who have computers already will wait for the dust to settle.
Within 8 months of release, there will be a general consensus on whether the OS was "good" or not. This will drive continued sales, which will determine whether the OS is beloved or not. 4 months later M$ will announce something new (whether it be an OS or otherwise), and we'll reenter the speculation buzz. M$ has learned to time this crap, so that their PR engine will require as little maintenance as possible. Doesn't anyone else recognize this yet?
In the coming weeks we'll see the rise of fluff pieces condemning and evangelizing windows 8/8.1. M$ has confirmed nothing, but managed to generate a buzz about themselves. In the glory days of XP there was no reason to upgrade. Volume sales of new computers made it so that M$ could gain revenue just by people buying new machines. As the market has become saturated, they have shifted focus to planned obsolesence. Each OS has a set life, then M$ wants you to buy another. Great for business, but crappy for people who want to buy a PC that lasts a few years.
TL ; DR
Another OS from M$...yay... I'm getting ready to break out the marshmallows, because this flame war is going to be a fun watch. Wait until there's some actual news! I may need to buy some asbestos undergarments...
