"apps" is a term that was coined by the Jobs-crowd and that I have been unable to shrug off. If Microsoft coined the term program, that's fine by me, use which one you like. I know what you mean.
The jab with the grids was more aimed at iOS, I pity them, because they have to work with them exclusively.
I know Android has widgets, I can't argue their usability due to never having used them. But they all have different designs and aesthetics, and to me that makes them
feel like they're tacked on, without much thought, and that ruins the entire experience for me.
That is a recurring quib I have with Android, one that doesn't necessarily has to do with feature parity (because in that regard they are undoubtedly the best), just of a certain percieved lack of continuity.
Every program in Android is fundamentally different in its percieved behaviour. I never know what's about to happen in an program, if I have to double tap or swipe, or else. The advantage that Android gets because of this is a limitless stream of design choices. But it also suffers from inconsistency. And this is especially true in an ecosystem where virtually every distributer uses a skin that looks and behaves fundamentally different.
I know that every program in Win8 will show the menu bar when I swipe from the top or bottom. I know that a long press will show a contextual menu with options on the item I just pressed. Swiping down on an object selects it. Zooming out in most places will show me an overview of the view I'm currently in, be it in the start screen, the (btw excellently written) Wikipedia app or my cocktail recipes. I know I can trust Win8 to behave like I expect it to, even if I'm in unsailed waters. I don't know if I can with Android. (rest assured, programs still need some work, but I've been using Win8 for half a year now and they're getting there.)
I hate the all apps screen on Win8 with a burning passion. It's so decisively un-modern that I fail to understand it. I only use it for admin access, and to use apps that aren't on my start screen, I use the search charm. Unified search throughout your entire data and programs. I never knew it could be this great.
Also, one last thing mtmerrick, thanks for that wonderful response to my legitimate plea of help. The fact that I wasn't seeing Android the way you see it is so much CLEARER to me now. Anticipating this kind of response was the exact reason why I apologized in advance.
Maybe instead of using foul language (BS still reads BULLSHIT to me), try to understand my point better by engaging me, the way Method of Madness has been doing, and not by showing off the length of your dick. Thank you.
I'm extremely sorry for name-calling.