Wdm, you'll notice I said "tablet." We're talking about tablets, not laptops, and not desktops. You cringed when you saw a tablet with Windows 8.1 on it - I'm asking, would you prefer Windows 7 on a Surface Pro to Windows 8 or 8.1?
Windows 7 is great for laptops and desktops. That's what it was designed for. It is mediocre *at best* on a touch screen tablet format. Tablets aren't for everyone but, if you want a Windows tablet, you'd be *crazy* to want Windows 7 over 8 on it. So, why are you cringing at a Windows 8 variant on a tablet? And again, a new conventional laptop with Windows 7 is dandy - but it's not a tablet, and that's what we're talking about.