Change of Windows OS

Is Windows 8.1 easy to pick up for someone previously using Windows XP and Windows 98 before that ?

There is some pain with configuration options not being where you are used to, made a bit more painful because you often have some information screen where you'd expect but no link to configuration (But Vista made a lot of these changes), then there is the Start Screen - but that can be fixed with such things as classicshell

You should be able to make it work (just remember to move mouse to edge/corners of screen to trigger showing menus).

Thanks for that I've got the paracetamol on standby, I've been checking out some clips on YouT ..... it's different but I'm sure I'll get the hang of it eventually, probably by the time W9 comes out on general release

Should have got it when it first came out for £25 per copy and upgrade at your leisure.

Indeed.
New PC as well.

Should have bought thousands of Royal Mail shares! Hindsight is a wonderful thing.