I'll say that if you've been using Windows for years you get used to using Windows on strange screen systems, everything from 640x480 to video wall panels. If you adjust magnification factors, font sizes, and such for the apps you actually use to help out a lot.

One thing I found with Windows 8 is that it is even better to use keyboard shortcuts to access the shell. Instead of groping for the 'Start' button, I hit the Windows key and the same thing happens if I am running Win7 or Win8. So Win8 didn't cause me disorientation at all, it just trained me to do the right thing.