@David

"I can understand why MS is forcing the 8.1 upgrade. Supporting 2 operating systems versus supporting one and moving a team to Windows 10 makes sense."

Don't want to sound rude, you know that but seriously, Microsoft must truly adore that easy going attitude of yours, you speak like the model, perfectly gullible customer.  Since when has it been ok for a company to FORCE anything on users of it's products?

You bought it in the state in which it was when you bought it, and it should be up to you what you allow regards updates.  There is indeed a reason you were "forced" to upgrade and it has nothing to do with what you seem to think it does.  You really need to start doing some research and you'll discover real reason they want that crap on your system enough to force it upon you.  Avoid websites that thrive on advertising and start reading the ones that speak the facts (and prepare to be shocked).

I'm glad that heap of corporate malware isn't intalled on my machine!

@Shane
Best way to learn it is to purchase this and this:

You get a dedicated computer for messing around with, but that specific book is superb in getting even an absolute noob started with the OS.  It's actually easier to locate and install/remove software on Debian than it is on Windows now (seriously).  That book shows you how to use Raspbian (a version of Debian ready made for that computer) - ready to boot from the SD card you insert into it.

Dead easy!

Debian has a package manger, it's just like having a built-in app-store.  All you do is search for the type software you want, choose it from the list of software packages that show up, and click install.  That's it, you really cannot get easer than that, you don't even need to trawl the web to look for the software.

To remove the software you do the same thing, click a button to show the list of installed software packages, then select the one you want to remove, done!

Nothing hard about using GNU/Linux Debian or Raspbian, not nowadays, and this is easy the best way to learn to use it before you put it on your main system.  Anyone can use it, even a child can install and remove programs now, it's honestly that easy.

Anyway, something to consider.