Being a fan of technology, I always try to be first on board with any new hardware or software.  I was in Times Square on Thursday night where Microsoft had set up dozens of computers to introduce Windows 8 to the public.  It went on sale at midnight on Friday morning and I purchased it at 12:01 despite some of the negative press it’s been receiving.  The truth is, Windows 8 is a great leap forward for Microsoft, maintaining many of the old features while combining them with the latest technology.  Those who haven’t seen Windows 8 won’t even recognize the new Start Screen.  However, the traditional Desktop Windows screen, is never more than a click away.  The user just needs to find the correct app.  The apps make Windows 8 so much more fun and easy to use not to mention faster.  If you have a touchscreen, it’s instantaneous.   There are many other improvements as well.  If you are a believer that the end of the PC is not far off, Windows 8 is just what the doctor ordered.  Windows 7 did not translate well to touch screen tablets.  Windows 8 runs well on tablets and traditional computers so it can run parallel, until the PC really does become obsolete.  It can be fully controlled with touches, swipes and gestures, and it gives users full access to the old Microsoft software like documents, and spreadsheets.  Microsoft is even using it in the new Surface tablet to show how flexible it actually is.  One other great improvement is the desktop gets its own improved tools like Task Manager and File History.  A few complaints a new user might have is, Windows 8 does need some re-learning but if you’re savvy with Windows 7 or XP, it’s quite intuitive.  Another possible complaint, is the end of the Start Menu.  You no longer hit start and see the control panel, computer option or Microsoft Office for example.  It is elsewhere in the start screen and easily accessible.  For those who hate change, this could be an issue.  Finally, the number of apps in the Microsoft store comes no where close to Apple but that will change over time.  The upgrade to Microsoft 8 if you currently have Vista, XP or 7, and purchase it online from the Microsoft store, is a very reasonable $39.99 US.  If you want to move forward with the latest technology and don’t mind change, Microsoft Windows 8 won’t disappoint.