Wow. So much uneducated, know-it-all hate. Welcome to Slashdot comment section!

I like the new start screen. But to be honest, I'll probably use it about as much I as I did the start button - almost never.

And the full screen metro apps, I don't really use them much, but they are pretty nice so far.

People complained in Windows95 that the Shutdown feature was under the Start menu. That it didn't make any sense. But you know what? They learned. I suspect people who are so upset (or are at least jumping on the "I'm cool because I think I know better than Microsoft" bandwagon) by this lack of the old start orb would have been horrified by the invention of the double click - it's certainly not 100% obvious and it's something you need to discover or be trained to do, but it's a great way to use a UI and I wouldn't have it any other way. The double click is discoverable (keep clicking), just as the shutdown under Start button (it's the first thing you see under the start menu), and the new Metro start screen (keep moving the mouse around until you find the hot spot.)

The truly clueless user is better off in Windows 8 than any previous version of Windows and Mac OS. The larger learning curve (which is not even remotely large at all) is for existing users of Windows.

I got used to the new UI in about 15 minutes, and from what I can tell it's faster than any of my old ways of launching stuff.

If you work with other people, make sure to reach out to them often. At least one person, once a day. Check in with your bosses at least once a week, probably more. (Maybe that's built in, who knows)

Ideally, have a door on your office. And make the family/roommates understand that work time is that and that only. They should pretend you are not there for the most part.

Get dressed for work, at least at first. This helps you get into work mode.

Using a chat program with the main people you work with will be helpful to them, as most of them have idle markers to show if you are there and using your computer. This can help keep you honest if you have trouble with that sort of thing. Although, I suppose if you do have trouble, there are about a million ways around that one, the most obvious being that watching a movie at your computer would let you keep the mouse moving every few minutes. But don't do that. Don't even have a TV on your office.

Keep yourself honest. If you are sleepy and NEED to nap, take a nap. But then make sure you work late to make up the work/hours.

I personally try to check email only about 3 times a day(8am, 11am, 3pm). I am an engineer working on projects, so interruptions are a bad distraction and there is never anything so urgent that I can't take 3 hours to get to it. Your situation may vary, or may not even apply.

Don't keep facebook/twitter or any self-updating news or distractions open. If you must, check them at lunch.

Eat a good breakfast. So many office goers skip that meal, or eat something packaged/processed rushing out the door. But you have time, and you don't need to eat right as you get up; you can wait an hour or two if needed. http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/most-important-meal

Give yourself a real lunch break, even if it's only 15 minutes. Use that time to check social media, news, investments, whatever you like to keep tabs on throughout the day.

Prevent home office ass: Don't even keep snack food in your house. Don't buy it. Then when you are bored, or frustrated, or whatever it might be that would drive you to your kitchen, there won't be anything there to eat.

I really have no idea why there is such a crazy hate for the new UI. Seriously. Very VERY confused. I know that the internet was basically invented for bitching about shit to an audience of other people who mostly do the same, but it's quite odd, don't you think? Please consider these following: New UIs sometime ask us to learn how to do something new. Did all of you haters complain about the invention of the mouse, double clicking, and the Start Menu? Probably, but you got used to it. Remember the comments like "What sort of IDIOT would instinctively press START to shut down their computer! IT"S LUNACY!" Now everyone is asking for it to come back. People fear change, it's pretty much involuntary; google it. Being aware of your mental limitations helps you be a better person. And perhaps less reactionary when something new comes along. The Windows 8 desktop is largely unchanged from Windows 7; it takes ONE additional click only at startup to get there. The way people talk here this is like the worst thing on earth! #FirstWorldProblems If you think the desktop is going away, you overreacting. It's there in full force in Windows 8. They have no plans to get rid of it. It works the same. Better actually, as they finally support multi-monitors with their own taskbars, something only available with 3rd party software before. MS built this whole new UI on a lot of user feedback data. And they blogged about it. If you claim otherwise, you have not been paying attention. Also, Windows 8 is not out yet. That's the whole point of the Consumer Preview - to gather data. Sadly the commentary has largely been "WAAA! IT'S NEW! I DON'T LIKE IT!" which is largely useless feedback. (This is why they look at usage data, as that doesn't lie.) The people who comment here at slashdot are mostly power users. Give a Windows 8 tablet or PC to your grandmother and I will almost guarantee they will like it and find it mostly intuitive and improved over Windows 7. And they'll be really happy to be rid of that clunky desktop thing. Who needs those small windowed things? Reading the last two lines, Windows 8 has something for everyone. A super-OS with very little cost to each to have the other. It seems that some of you think Windows 8 purchases comes with a microsoft agent who storms your house and takes your mouse and forces you to buy a touch screen. I have not read the official word, but I believe this is probably not true. Use the mouse all you want! Up is still up and down is still down. I'm pretty sure. I get the "overshooting the corner" argument for multiple monitor users. I would fully expect them to fix that in the final release (IF you're running in a VM, that's more a failing of the VM, not the OS.) Visual Studio, DBA "apps" or any other large complicated tool will never be a metro app; why would anyone assume that it would? Sure there is a mobile version of Photoshop now, but it doesn't come close to doing what the desktop version does, nor will it. They have not tried, and they don't need to try because desktop is not going anywhere. At the same time, why WOULDN'T any simple consumer application NOT be made into the modern, easily distributable "app" on a phone, tablet, or now PC. Easy distribution and free marketing of your app to the masses. I don't need to provide my own download server, or instructions, or optimize my google search rank. Sounds great to me. This sort of polarization that is evident here is very immature, and is also sadly reflected in current U.S. politics. It's easy to throw stones to anonymous folk on the internet but using hyperbole to get a point across becomes the norm and the hyperbole needs to become more extreme and all of a sudden there is no middle opinion anymore. STOP IT. You're all better than that.