I HATE Windows 8. This is the worst OS ever invented.

The problem with the Surface, other than the fact that the on-off switches only work when they want to, is the over-all "unfriendliness" and incompatibility to non-Microsoft products. 

By way of example, I recently tried to print from a Surface to a brand new HP wireless printer.  Absolutely would not work.  I spent over an hour on the telephone with HP support. 

HP support was absolutely great, but they couldn't get it to work either.

As I have said, I used to love Microsoft products, but now I despise them. 

I need to buy three new laptops for my staff, but I am holding off until I can figure out what operating system to use, and what wireless printer will be best to use with them. 

Had the Surface NOT had Windows 8, and had I not seen that the Surface does not "play well" with HP printers, I would have considered buying three Surface Pros.

But having seen, first hand, how Microsoft products compel you to waste huge amounts of time, I simply want to try to find laptops which I can use with a non-Microsoft operating system. 

I admit, it is a pain in the neck, putting off buying these new machines, but I have wasted far too much time already with Microsoft's now-horrendous products.

It also bothers be to call the people at Microsoft "morons," but when I look at what they've done to previously-great products, I am constrained to say, "if the shoe fits . . ."

Alternatively, they were either too arrogant to care about whether it was "user friendly" or not.

Either way, I have gone from loving Microsoft products, to absolutely despising them.

I wonder how many other Windows Users and IT professionals feel this way. I am currently attempting to find employment in other IT related disciplines, but I am finding this difficult as I have based my career (to date) on supporting Microsoft products.

Last night I was assisting a lady in her 80's to use Windows 8, she had been previously using Windows XP. Since I had seen her the week before, she had not be game to turn her nice new Windows 8 computer on, because she was too scared of it, it was too unfamiliar.  Even the lock screen that is first displayed caused her issues, she did not know how to get to the logon screen, there was no explanation or hint on the lock screen as to what she should do (which was press the control key as it is not a touch device).  I felt very sorry for her, as I left after yet again explaining how to use Windows 8, while realizing that it was all to much, all too different, and all to many things for her to grasp.

On the other had you have people like my children who have grown up using a variety of computers and operating systems and could care less what Windows looked like.

However in the work place people's reactions are much more like the lady I mentioned above. How Microsoft responds to this is up to them. They can stick their heads back in the sand and wait for people to eventually learn or give and go away, or they can recognize the issue, admit to the mistake, and fix it.

Andrew, you mentioned the loss of productivity for companies, and I would have to agree. Another issue for companies is how to mange the Microsoft Account requirement for purchase and use of Windows Store Apps. 

I am currently reviewing Office 365 as a replacement for our aging Windows 2003 SBS Server, however I am dismayed, it does not seem to be a mature product. It reminds me of Windows 8. I am reluctant to offer this to our staff, but there is there any other viable solution? What has happened to quality control in Microsoft?  Ideologies have taken precedent over quality and standards.

As for the Surface Pro, I and our companies staff like the Surface Pro. We want a Windows Computer, not a toy tablet, so we are prepared to carry the extra weight.  It is quite portable, and with the Touch Type keyboard, it is easy to use when traveling.  Normally we use them docked to a large non-touch screen monitor, with full sized keyboard and mouse.  I am looking forward to when the Surface Pro 3 is released here in Australia (sometime later this month).  The Surface's main issue is that it comes with Windows 8.  Maybe next year we will see a Windows 9 Surface Pro 4 ?

As someone once said, "at this point, things can only get better".

Just to make sure that anyone who comes across this particular rant when searching for help about the power off availability on Windows 8.1 gets help as well...

Snippet from:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8_1-desktop/modifying-windows-81-for-those-who-want-to-ease/47425a3a-a652-4d0a-9537-68d36fa36947

There are MANY ways to shutdown Windows 8.1.  People seem to have trouble with this one, so...

1. Pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL and clicking on the power button at the bottom right. [VIDEO LINK]
2. Right-click on the Windows Logo in the bottom left of the screen and choosing a "shut down or sign out" option (conveniently I imaged this above.) [VIDEO LINK]
3. Launch the Charms bar, click on the Settings charm, and then select the Power icon. [VIDEO LINK]
4. I've used this method, but it's a little long; at the Start screen, click on your account photo in the upper right corner and then select the Sign out option. Click your mouse or tap any key to get past the Lock screen. At the log-in screen, click on the Shut down button in the lower right corner. [VIDEO LINK]
5. Just press the actual physical power button (not holding it down, just pressing it once and letting go to start the shutdown process.)
6. For those that have a touchscreen (I don't usually) - perhaps this: open File Explorer and navigate to the Windows\System32 folder. Scroll down the folder's contents until you see a file called "SlideToShutDown.exe". Double-click that file, and the lock screen appears at the top half of the screen promoting you to slide your finger down to exit Windows. Just slide your finger to power down.  To make this option more handy, right-click on the "SlideToShutDown.exe" file and select the option to Pin to Start. Now you have a Start screen tile that you can click on or tap whenever you want to shut down Windows. [VIDEO LINK]
7. There is a power button at the top-right area of Windows 8.1 Update 1, the start screen menu, now.  Click it, see your choices there.  (You still click the username to the left of it for logoff type options.)

I forgot to mention that the Microsoft clowns can't even make it easy for users to turn things on and off.

On Window 8, some imbecile actually thought it was a good idea to hide the power button, to make you "guess" as to how to turn your machine off, by finding the hidden "charms."

On the Surface, the put the on off button in plain view.  The only problem is, sometimes is works, and sometimes it doesn't.  How cute. (just check on you tube for the video which is a tutorial on how to turn your Surface on, then the on/off button doesn't work.)  They must be kidding with this cr_p.

Well said!

Windows 8 was apparently approved by top Microsoft idiots who are too stupid to realize how much it would cause a loss in productivity in companies everywhere, as employees wrestle with this moronic OS in an attempt to get actual work done. 

Alternatively, they were either too arrogant to care about whether it was "user friendly" or not.

Either way, I have gone from loving Microsoft products, to absolutely despising them.

Armed with the same lack of common sense, intelligence or concern for users, the clowns at Microsoft have also (1) ruined Microsoft Word (formerly the best word processing software bar none), and (2) put out the "Surface" which is can be best described as a flat, lightweight, piece of virtually useless trash.