There's nothing wrong with Windows 8. I doesn't do much above 7, but on its own it is a good operating system whether or not you are using a touch screen

ClassicShell already fixed the problems I had with Win8, but Skydrive is nice, I guess

Yeah I've been toying with that on my new laptop, being able to boot right to the desktop is good, but the start screen still isn't nearly as flexible as the old one. It's still too tablet/smartphone like so launching certain apps is still fucking stupid if you have a million of them. Basically, where the fuck is my folder option? Please tell me if I'm missing a folder option so I can add folders.

Right... Edit a webshow on Windows 8, without the normal windows Icon & file/folder browsing interface.

Why can't you use the normal file/folder browsing interface?

Not the correct assumption, but OK.

The assumption is that people would acclimate themselves to the new UI.  The problem with Windows 8 isn't the Start panel, it's the fact that it's disjointed. 

For example, I can go to Windows Update under the System Setting charm, but that isn't the same as going to the Windows Update under the Control Panel.  The former is slow and doesn't feature the same updates, where as the latter is fast and has updates for almost everything.  Which is another problem, because if you go into the App Store, then you have updates there too. 

Notice a problem.  Where there was once essentially one place for updates, there became three.  Oh and woe to the person who attempted to update the apps at the same time he/she updated the system, because the two can't run concurrently.

The Start button is a 1:1 with what Windows 8 had.  Windows 8 didn't actually have a button, you just went into the corner and it "activated".  In computer parlance, Windows 8 used hot corners for the Start panel, App switching, and Charms bar.  Windows 8.1 really doesn't change that.  Just when you're on the desktop it gives you an icon to click instead of using the hot corner.  Woo-hoo. 

I think Windows 8.1 solves a few problems with Windows 8, but it doesn't do enough to bridge users from the old UI to the new UI.  For it to be successful, it needs to do that.  Though, you may not like that.

So nothing new and nothing that can't be fixed with classic shell+default programs ;)

IE 11 is available for W7 right now, but not for W8? You sure about that? I highly doubt Microsoft would make the browser available for the OS it wants you to transition away from rather than the one it's pushing you toward.

Also, "snapping" different app/sprograms has some ease-of-use and productivity advantages over simply resizing them. As it is in W8 right now, you can only snap two programs in a 70/30 screen split, which isn't very functional in many cases. The updates will allow you to change the ratio to suit your needs, making it exponentially more useful.

Skydrive will also become a bit more robust with W8.1. The guy goes into a little more detail in his article; I just gave you the Cliff Notes version.

Does it justify the price of Windows 8 to anyone who didn't think Windows 8 was worth the money before?

I don't understand why they expect us to be excited about things we already have that should have been in it.

To be honest MS did not assume anything.  They tried to force people to change like Apple has done and found out that PC people do not like change at all.  Yes, it was silly of them to think such a thing but I guess they had to try at one point or another.  As a piece of software and OS, Windows 8 actually is pretty solid and 8.1 brings with it a lot of improvements and retro features to make the old school happy.  When I am ready to upgrade I probably will get a copy.