[Shiraz (Ray)]

I shoulda known better - but I installed windows 8 pro over the top of win7 to get a remote desktop host. well that bit worked but some other things don't anymore. Will no longer accept the driver for my QHY5 guide cam and the OCTAVE package which I use a bit is no longer functional - that is just the stuff that I have come across to date. I had assumed that Win8 would be basically similar to Win7 with a different GUI - well it's not - they have fiddled with it. Now I can't get back to my old system - Microsoft does not offer a roll-back or legacy interface.

otherwise, impressions of win8 are:
It's fast.
The interface is an odd amalgam that looks like it was designed by the camel committee. provides a tablet look as the first port of call for those people who want to get stuff rather than do stuff.
Those of us that do stuff can get access to the guts, but we have lost the START button and all the power that went with it. Now there is nothing to help you get around and find things when you can't remember the name or location - START used to just put it all there in front of you and there is nothing remotely similar in this incarnation. Big drop in productivity.

Overall, disappointed and cursing my own gullibility.