[JoeFromSidney]

There is no way I'll try to write a book, manage my finances, or do mathematical analyses on a tablet. If they keep crapping up PCs the way they did with Windows 8, I'll go back to using a Selectric. I managed to write books and articles on one of those before.

[kjam22]

Can you still buy carbon paper? I think Windows 8 is okay. Mine works fine. Took about a day to get used to no start button. I went from home laptop with XP to home laptop with Windows 8. I’m not sure what all the big gripes are. It works. My biggest gripe??? I went from a Dell D630 to an Inspirion. The old docking station isn’t compatible and I had to buy a new USB docking station. You gotta upgrade every 6 or 7 years I guess. You would have thought Dell would keep that stuff consistent.

[867V309]

The worst W8 feature is the Start screen=huge stupid icons, steering you to moronic apps and the "app store". It's just marketing, and misguided integration with handheld devices. Who wants a touchscreen pc with fingerprints all over the screen, and having to reach, rather than mouse or keyboard input?

But the Start screen is configurable: uninstall all the "apps" and move all your most-used applications to the left of the screen. Now when you're on the desktop you can hit the Windows key and launch your favorite applications from the Start screen, easier than the old start button menu.

And, on my machine, W8 boots and shuts-down way way way fast, faster than XP ever did.

I installed VirtualBox (free) and a copy of XP so I can run any applications that won't install on W8 (like Adobe crap). Perfect.

Only thing I'm missing is Windows Media Center which only comes with W8 Pro, a $99 upgrade I won't pay.