It undoubtedly helps that the key people behind the Windows 8 Ux have either left Microsoft or left the Windows org. So perhaps it's less 'we screwed up,' and more 'they screwed up.'

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Sinofsky

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/exec/larsongreen/default...

http://www.geekwire.com/2013/microsoft-windows-shakeup-conti...