IMO, Win 8 already looks and acts pretty much like Win 7. The part that is new is called Metro or Mui (Modern User Interface). That new part is strictly optional. Most likely your new machine will have Win 8.1 which gives you the option to boot straight to the desktop, Win 8 requires you to click once to get to the desktop.
The one thing that is missing from the desktop that many users can't seem to live without is the Start button. For those who need it, there are 3rd party addins such as Classic Shell that can be installed to bring it back.