Uncle Dave - it sounds as if Microsoft's scheme will not allow you to use the programmes you already have, no matter how strategic they might be.e
Their whole idea is "Keep charging more and more money no matter how old or obsolete your computer and it's software becomes".
For those looking at Linux there was some good info and advice given to me in this thread - Linux in 2008.
I switch between different Operating Systems depending on what I need to do, but in many situations, Linux is not much different from Windows but FREE. In some cases what it does is BETTER. In some cases there isn't a programme doing the equivalent to your windoze programme, so you are still stuck with microsoft
That said, some Mudcat regulars might be able to point you in directions I am not clued-up on.

Quack
GtD.