I still say a casual user is better with something that has an outside chance of running the pet software he has collected & been using for 10 years.

Linux may well run a few of the apps, but I bet the one obscure app that does exactly what the person wanted, will not run on Linux. Only he will know when it is too late. IME you don't find all the problems of new OS & new S/W because you expect it to behave precisely same, because someone else thought it was. Not until a time later, when you have printed that poster, sent that e-mail or otherwise committed the result to the public. Whatever solution he chooses, he is in for a time of checking carefully, after struggling with the learning curve. It is wearying. Why compound it?
Windows 8 is not recommended by most users I have spoken to.

And wot U use an endoscope for? Looking up old friends?