It'd still be a mixed bag. Some settings and preferences are accessed in through the control center (of the desktop app), while others are in the Metro settings. Apps purchased in the app store would open fullscreen in Metro (unless they'd display Metro applications in windows on the desktop). Metro is not truly separate, but it is also not well-integrated.
Windows 8 is an operating system for tablets. On desktops and laptops it's an experiment at most - touch screens are not ubiquitous, and it remains to be seen whether they will be successful on 'traditional computers'.
I think everyone would be better off if Microsoft had released Windows 8 as a tablet operating system, providing other improvements as a service pack for Windows 7. But they are probably making a bet: businesses will stick with Windows 7 for a while, and they are probably hoping that consumers get as much Metro-exposure as possible via Windows 8, Windows Phone 8, and Windows RT.
I don't like it. So, I'll stick with OS X on the desktop and iOS/WP8 on phones ;).
Edit: I wanted to add that I do like Metro a lot... For touch devices.
Windows 8 is an operating system for tablets. On desktops and laptops it's an experiment at most - touch screens are not ubiquitous, and it remains to be seen whether they will be successful on 'traditional computers'.
I think everyone would be better off if Microsoft had released Windows 8 as a tablet operating system, providing other improvements as a service pack for Windows 7. But they are probably making a bet: businesses will stick with Windows 7 for a while, and they are probably hoping that consumers get as much Metro-exposure as possible via Windows 8, Windows Phone 8, and Windows RT.
I don't like it. So, I'll stick with OS X on the desktop and iOS/WP8 on phones ;).
Edit: I wanted to add that I do like Metro a lot... For touch devices.