They are not too terrible on a tablet. But, iPad and Android do it better.
Strawman. I've never seen anyone associated with Microsoft even remotely make that claim, merely critics like yourself.
I don't need to cite any claims from Microsoft. All I need to do is look at what the OS is presenting to the user.
When you start Windows 8, without any 3rd party utilities to change anything, where is the first place it always takes you?
And, on that screen, how many of the icons go MUI apps, instead of Desktop apps, by default? (Including those for Internet access and e-mail, etc.)
What interface do you see splashed across all the advertisements for Windows 8?
What items were removed from the Desktop interface, once you do get there?
Yes, terrible how it takes 2 seconds to learn something new.
terrible.
Here's another way to put it: Let's pretend the icon for IE changed to some random shape, instead of the "e" thing: Let's say it became a mouse eating cheese, because they decided that would be a good mascot, for some reason.
It might only take you and me
2 seconds to learn that was the new icon for IE. But, imagine how DUMB that decision would be, in general? What would a mouse eating cheese have to do with browsing the Internet? It doesn't make any sense!
(Perhaps they could have gone with a fox burning up the entire planet, but a different browser uses that.)
For similar, perhaps even less superficial reasons, there is no reason why the MUI version IE had to be designed that way, and
also pushed onto people using Desktop machines. (Don't say it isn't being pushed: That's what the icon on the Start Screen goes to, even for Desktop machines!)
And, for some people, it would take a lot longer than 2 seconds.
) 
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