The desktop side of Win 8 is very similar to Win 7. Win 8.1 willbe available in the fall. The trial version is available now, but if you upgrade to this version you will NOT be able to upgrade to the final version without a clean install.

Hi Clarence,

As KirkD has mentioned you can use the familiar old Windows 7 Desktop (with little difference) in Windows 8. Check the below mentioned article for more details:

Work in the familiar desktop

If you have difficulty running older programs, click here to know how to make older programs compatible with Windows 8.

For more tutorials and how-to articles on Windows 8 you can visit Dell’s Windows 8 Support page.

And if it is the old Start Menu you are after, you don't need to wait for the update:

www.iobit.com/iobitstartmenu8.php