But now to the product itself:
As a student I have already got Windows 8 Pro in late August and installed on my laptop. My laptop does not have a touch screen, so I use Windows 8 as normal using keyboard and mouse.
The Metro-surface I find visually very successful. The entire system feels very modern by the live tiles. The number of apps is currently still low, that will change in the future determined yet. The apps, like the Weather app or news apps are very well done. Otherwise, I still use the new Skype app, as well as the game of Backgammon and Cut the Rope.
Very good, I like the performance: Windows 8 will boot very quickly and is then ready to go. Also the change from one app to another goes smoothly. Until now there was not before, that the operating system has hung or crashed app.
Further positive I like the new Windows Explorer. Similar to Office 2010 have been here a ribbon with the most important functions (eg New Folder, Rename). Also, the task manager has been improved. Here you can not just quit task, but also see, what programs consumes as much CPU memory and RAM. In addition, the startup can be controlled here. You can see exactly what programs are launched at startup and what effect it will have on the start (impact high or low).
Now to the main point of criticism and the star deduction: As already criticized by some users to use Windows 8 become cumbersome. A button that I have hardly used among the older versions of Windows, Windows 8 is worth gold: the Windows key! With it you can most easily get from the desktop menu back to the Metro interface and switch between the different apps and forth without having to fumble around with the mouse gently to the side edges. Generally, I find that you always have to make 8 one or two clicks more Windows than Windows 7, which is probably mainly because of the fact that the start button has been removed.
Furthermore, some apps for PC users are completely useless, such as the PDF App. This always opens in full-screen mode. It is not possible to open two PDF files at once, or view a PDF only in the browser. Ultimately, you have to install Adobe Reader for it.
Ultimately, one can Windows 8 recommend those who want to try something new. Imperative is not a migration from 7 to 8. Otherwise, one should consider whether it is not in front of the near future has a touchscreen PC (-Laptop, tablet) to buy, and then switch to Windows 8.
Whether company is switching to Windows 8 very questionable to me. For professional use the Metro interface is rather disturbing.
Too bad it has not done so as in Microsoft Windows XP. At that time, the Start menu has been redesigned. The user could, however, easily among the settings that the Start menu to switch to classic. Exactly missing in Windows 8 - an exchange bureau classically. Thus, one would have the advantages of both versions.