If you're talking about getting Office with a new machine, it's been that way for Windows for as long as I can remember. The solution is to not buy machines with Office but purchase it separately or through an enterprise agreement.

I'm not sure what the disadvantages are that you're talking about. But for WIndows 8, I've found it easier to use, it boots faster, wakes up faster, uses fewer resources, and is more secure than Windows 7. As for Windows RT, it's even more secure as Windows Apps run sandboxed. This also has the added advantage of not bringing down the entire machine when a memory overrun occurs (fewer blue screens).

For years, there have been complaints about Windows not being secure or that applications crash alot and require reboots. Microsoft fixed that and now people are complaining about the fix. So, which way do you want it?

>Hopefully without going to deep into conspiracy theo[log/r]y, a few days ago minor shitstorm was here as MS
>was said to have changed EULA again, linking OEM OS and Office to particular machines (AFAIR via UEFI).
>I have paid MS for quite a few iterations of Office, OS and Studio and the circus when moving to a new machine
>with the newer versions regularly PO's me regally.
>
>For me too big in the "disadvantages" camp ;-)