Luckily, Microsoft has a pattern of releasing an OS that tries out new ideas but is kind of janky, followed shortly after by a more polished one that brings it all together: Windows Vista & Windows 7, Windows 2000 & Windows XP, Windows 95 & Windows 98, Windows ME & Windows 98. . .
This is true however they were able to do this in an era where there was no real competition to the PC. It's a very risky move to make now. I think a lot of people looking at buying a new PC in the next year are on the fence about buying an iPad instead. Windows 8 has the potential to push massive numbers of people towards the iPad. Maybe Microsoft's gamble is it will push some of those people into Windows 8 tablets instead. I really don't see how many consumers are going to willingly buy Windows 8 PCs. The backlash is going to dwarf Windows ME or Vista unless they make some major changes over the next couple of months in my opinion.
Windows 2000 was a great OS, kind of feel like you're trying to make the data fit your premise... in fact I'd say it was the last good Microsoft OS (of course, that could just be nostalgia talking).