I am not a Windows 8 user, I am currently using Windows 7 and Linux (dual boot is a wonderful thing.)

That said, I think that you should remember that Windows 8 is currently Alpha software. This is a PROPOSED layout for the release, which is still a year away. I would expect that around half of the features that are in it will be dropped by the time it is released, and that there may well be features in the final release that are not in it yet.

As an Alpha release, You should be pleased that it runs at all.

Take another look at it in six months, if you are a Windows sort of person. Until then, what you see isn't necessarily what you will get.

If you still hate it, there is always Linux. Mint might be best for you right now, though Simply Mepis is also great. And Who knows, Canonical might even be hit by a massive wave of common sense by that time.