The author says, "While I can understand why some people object (it is a change after all), I dont really understand the reasoning behind their objections. " The reasoning is that I have tried Windows 8 (both publicly released versions). Microsoft has hidden key functions in various places (lower left corner - left click, right-click on a blank part of the desktop, do something on the right of the screen, hunt for the shut-down command, etc). I'm sure it all makes sense to the programmers, who know where they hid most of the icons.

The fact that the start screen is ugly is irrelevant to me. What I object to the the massive size of the icons on the start screen, using valuable real estate that I would like to use for what I want to appear on the screen. Sure it is easy to get to the more traditional desktop, but it is an additional step that shouldn't be required.

I don't resist change, but I do resist stupid change. I regularly use PCLinuxOS, CentOS, and Ubuntu (both desktop and server editions). Those three operating systems are much more intuitive, easier to use and navigate, and configure than is Windows 8. I currently do most of my computing on Linux. I do have an audio editing program, Picasa, and an invoicing program on a Windows XP platform (running on a virtual machine under Linux).

I will probably have to setup one computer with Windows 8 so I can experiment with supporting clients with Windows 8 (training, setup, configuration, and troubleshooting). Unless Microsoft introduces a method to bypass the Metro interface, I will switch to a Windows 7 platform for my few Windows applications.

In the experimentation I have done with Windows 8, the OS appears to be solid in working with legacy Windows applications.

As for the "demise" of the command prompt, I have to use that tool on a regular basis to change file security setting (via CACLS) which just can't be done with the Windows GUI tools. There are a number of other commands in all versions of Windows that require the use of the command prompt.

Unfortunately, software manufacturers take a long time to figure out how to program for each new version of Windows. It was only after XP was obsolete as a supported operating system that some software could be run by a standard user and not an administrator. I am sure the problem will reappear for some applications when installed on Windows 8, although I had not encountered that problem with the programs I experimented on Windows 8.