Windows 7 works quite well. Windows 8 has been a pain in the posterior since it was introduced. It might be an interesting alternative to Android on tablets and smartphones, but for computer users, it's nasty. However, because of Microsoft's daft systems, you can't easily change from Windows 8 to Windows 7.
What we my see is a free "upgrade" to Windows 8 that actually turns it into a differently badged Windows 7. If you use the Windows update service, you'll get the option for it to install automatically. If you get "upgrade" on a disk, you bung it in the DVD drive and restart your computer.