ExSp33db1rd, I agree. For many years I was entirely happy with Outlook Express and Office XP - a combination which met all my needs.
When I bought a new laptop 4 years ago, it came with that utter POS termed Windows Live Mail. Fortunately I was able to $hitcan it and return to OE. But the new version of Office was Office 2007 and it was far less simple to use, particularly for Word. I have now got used to it, but having to open different tabs merely to set the font or to spellcheck is rather a pain.
When my hard drive died, I was forced down the Win7 route. So it was goodbye to Outlook Express and hello to Outlook - which for simple e-mail requirements is somewhat OTT.
I also needed a back up computer and bought one with Win8.1 and Office 2013. Even Win8.1u1 is pretty dire, but Office 2013 is frankly appalling - horrid, glaring screen panes and stupid UPPER CASE headers. What utter idiot thought that was a good idea? Or perhaps it was simply to appeal to yoofs and their tablet computer toys?