I bought a Windows 8 PC about 18 months ago and right after the Norton anti virus expired, I was so choked with ad ware I couldn't use the thing. But how is that a Win 8 problem? I'm not sure it's even a Norton issue.
You need ad blocking SW like
Adblock Plus (free) and for your UI, try
Classic Shell (free).
I don't know, I'm not a tech guy, but I've been a MSFT user since Windows 95 and (with the exception of Windows Me) this is the worst, clunkiest version I've ever used. Like the article said, it seems they tried to make it a tablet OS and it's useless with a keyboard and mouse.
Maybe Bill Gates should stop with the common core and his sucking up to the regime and get back to the computer business.