Andrew Webster, reporting for The Verge:
Microsoft has revealed that it has made some big changes to its desktop UI for Windows 8, which includes moving away from Aero Glass — the UI first introduced with Vista. According to the company, this means visual changes that include "flattening surfaces, removing reflections, and scaling back distracting gradients."Even though Aero Glass was first introduced in the dismal Vista, it's one of the best elements that Windows has had in it for a while. Now it's going away and its replacement is far from worthy of such high praise; it's achromatic and downright grotesque. What a shame, Microsoft, what a shame.