i kinda like the 08 menu.
as for the "jumping" applets, i seem to get along with them now.

the rest, i dont know. that toolbar in the osso-xterm do not get in my way. but then i dont spend 24/7 in the term either...

all in all, much of what people complain about 08 i would call minor issues or force of habbit issues. even the browser is fast enough most of the time, if the page is designed right (sadly it should have a runaway script detector like firefox proper have to stop some of those insanely overscripted pages).