Microsoft wanted to shake up the computer world with Windows 8 (to generate income for itself), and it's done a good job. I've received countless questions about this new operating system. Keep in mind that Windows 8 upgrades won't be as expensive as you might expect. For the first couple of months after Windows 8's release, it will be only $40 to upgrade instead of the normal $200 or so. So, if you're planning on upgrading, it's not a bad idea to upgrade all of your computers. However, I expect that this won't be the case for many people. Why upgrade when what you have works just fine.However, if you're planning on using only one Windows 8 computer, you want to know if it will work with other Windows computers.

Microsoft has said that computers running Windows 8 will network with computers running older versions of Windows.

Software compatibility, though, is a little trickier. Any computer running Windows 8 should work with your current software. However, there is a mobile version of Windows 8 called Windows RT that won't work with current software. You might want to look at Microsoft's Windows 8 compatibility checker. It has Microsoft's official compatibility report on hundreds of programs. There are reviews from users on how well the program works, too. Be sure to you know if your programs and computer is 64-bit or 32-bit.

One final thing to keep in mind is that Windows 8 is beginning the transition from programs to apps on computers. While Windows 8 can run older programs, Windows 7 and Vista won't run new Windows 8 apps.

Just keep in mind that buying a new computer OR upgrading to Windows 8 will be like starting from scratch.