I finally tried my ultrabook after about a month unboxed. I just feel MSFT has lost it. It tries too hard to be all things to all people. It reminds me of creatures my son makes up in Scribblenauts. Taste doesnt come easily. Steve Jobs made everything Apple tastefully done. You may not like it, but the feel was so consistent across the board.

MSFT stuff is just all over the place. People like Steak and Potatoes, Sushi and Miso, Stir fried noodles, and pasta and pizza, but nobody wants it all on the same pizza dough......

This thread scares me, as I get my new laptop in 2 days time... Windows 8 reinstalled... Is 8 just as compatible as 7 with older programs???

Yah, everything works. You can even make it look and feel like 7... People here just nitpick too much.

Desktops need to evolve?  Into what, touchscreen driven experiences?  No thank you, I have no intention of wearing myself out constantly reaching four feet away to one of my large monitors.  How would that be even marginally fast or productive?

Touch screen is just one method of using Windows 8.

You can get Logitech t650, I got it and works great - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WS3TJR5sJVU

Tobii Gaze is coming out and looks awesome - http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=wlYYfo0Xonk#t=68s

Intel has some motion control thing...Kinect for PC...lots of new exciting ways to use Windows 8.

And best of all, it still works just as good with mouse and keyboard...you just have to get used to a few new things.

Everyone that is complaining about windows 8 interface being bad or confusing, just watch this video. Everything you need to know in 4 minutes - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wi8NpwiEuzc

I got a new laptop for podcasting and gaming a couple weeks ago, and of course had no choice but to get a Windows 8 machine if I was going PC route. I was VERY wary of 8 based on all the negative stuff I had heard.
It did take a bit to get used to, and the dynamic start whatever menu is really not the useful on a non-touch screen device, but besides that it's really not that bad. Runs pretty fast, and I haven't had any compatibility issues updating all my recording stuff so...
It's certainly not "THE FUTURE" of OS but it's really not that bad, especially if you just set it up to boot to the regular desktop.

Its the normal MS cycle - good OS, bad OS, good OS, bad OS. Windows 2000, Windows ME, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8.... so the next good OS will be Windows 9. Just have to learn to skip every other OS.

Windows 8 is a clunky windows 7. Just stick with Win 7 like people held out on XP