Is all your gear Windows 8 compatible?

Migrating to a new operating system is a bit like getting ready for a first date. What will she look like? Will he be easy to get along with? Will the two of you be compatible? That last question is the precise question that millions of PC owners must consider on October 26, when they think about upgrading their machines to Windows 8.

The good news: Unlike the painful upgrade that many users experienced when moving from Windows XP to Vista, the move from Windows 7 to 8 should be much easier—at least that’s what Microsoft is promising. Windows 8 will be backward-compatible with Windows 7, says Microsoft COO Kevin Turner. And PC manufacturers and device makers such as Canon, Epson, and Hewlett-Packard tell PCWorld that they’ve been working closely with Microsoft to ensure that gear “just works” when plugged in.