Windows 8 a pain? We'll see

Windows 8 went under the microscope recently, and users reported some issues handling the operating system.

A U.K. design firm named Foolproof reported yesterday that 14 "typical users" try out Windows 8 for the first time to see how they fared using the new-look operating system. The small number of testers are supposedly Windows users, which should theoretically make it easier for them to understand the software.

However, according to Foolproof, Microsoft's new user interface, which combines a series of tiles and ditches the traditional look and feel of Windows, "comes with a huge learning overhead." Foolproof's relatively small number of testers made several observations, including:

• The user interface was "fresh and attractive," but by the end of the session, none of them "felt confident using the new interface."
• They were confused on how to open Internet Explorer.
• They quickly became confused by e-mails, responding that they didn't realize that text fields were editable.
• The lack of the tray on the bottom of the screen caused some to feel like they lost apps when switching from one to another.

That there is a steep learning curve is nothing new to those who have used the software. In CNET's own review of Windows 8, it found that the operating system's "learning curve is steep and in-app navigation isn't obvious. There are just too many known unknowns here."

Microsoft will make Windows 8 available tomorrow. At that point, users will finally have the chance to determine just how hard (or easy) the operating system is to handle.