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Friday Poll: Will you upgrade to Windows 8?

We want to know if you plan to make the leap to Microsoft's Windows 8, or if you'd prefer to avoid it for now.

Christopher MacManus
Crave contributor Christopher MacManus regularly spends his time exploring the latest in science, gaming, and geek culture -- aiming to provide a fun and informative look at some of the most marvelous subjects from around the world.
Christopher MacManus
2 min read
Microsoft executive Mike Angiulo shows off an array of Windows 8 devices at a New York event yesterday. Sarah Tew/CNET

Microsoft officially launched Windows 8 today, and with it comes a choice for those who use its predecessors: do I stay, or do I go?

My Crave colleague Eric Mack touches on the subject in an opinion piece today titled "The Windows 8 question: To adopt early or not?" Eric owns a perfectly capable Windows 7 laptop and would rather wait for a Surface tablet with Windows 8 Pro to debut before considering new hardware.

Personally, I feel a slight temptation to upgrade to Windows 8. In his review of Microsoft's Surface, CNET Senior Editor Eric Franklin praises Metro -- the primary interface of Windows 8 -- saying it's "innovative, elegant, powerful, and versatile," the last set of words I would use to describe my cluttered Windows 7 desktop. Maybe a new layout would feel like a breath of fresh air.

Unfortunately, moving into new digs can often cause problems. Franklin notes that the new "Windows Store is a ghost town, Metro has a steep learning curve, and the Desktop interface feels clunky and useless."

Despite the yo-yo effect these opinions have on me, I'm the type of person who primarily uses their desktop computer at home, so Windows 8, which is mostly made for a touch screen, doesn't feel like a must-have upgrade. If I owned a compatible touch-screen laptop, tablet, or hybrid computer, however, then I would quickly purchase Windows 8 to get the most out of that device.

As CNET Senior Editor Dan Ackerman notes in CNET's Windows 8 buying guide, "anyone with Windows XP, Vista, or 7 can upgrade to Windows 8 for just $40, no matter how old that PC is. If you have a new PC purchased after June 2, 2012, the upgrade is price is merely $15. Rich Brown has a detailed explanation of the upgrade plans and details here."

So what are your thoughts? Will you be upgrading to Windows 8? Vote in our poll.

Watch this: Windows 8 leads with tiles, apps, sync -- and a learning curve, too