Well, if I'm looking at a folder that contains images, I generally want to see them as images - at least icons and charsets, where I spend the most time. Tilesets I prefer to view as details. Everything else, I want to view as details. I don't care to see what icons MS has decided to attach to a folder or a particular type of file.
IMO, what they've DONE is annoying. Every time I look at a different folder, I have to change the view mode before I'm comfortable navigating it. And since this is one of my day jobs, I'm ALWAYS switching between folders. I don't mind if some people like the way it is now - good for them. I just wish there was an option for those of us who liked to say "I always want to see THIS window in THIS view mode, regardless of what the others are like".