you can still multi-task in windows 8.. i think what the article is pointing out is that the main differences between windows 8 and windows 7 is that windows 8 GUI makes it a little awkward and slower to find your way about...that is until you get used to it.
when you login to windows 7 you arrive at the desktop, you have the start menu orb (start button) which when clicked reveals the start menu where you can access programs one the start menu or the 'all programs' list...
when you login to windows 8 your arrive at the new 'Start Screen' which is like a full screen star menu with large tiles (for touchscreen interface) for all your programs AND the desktop - there is no start button, you access all your programs on this start screen... when your on the desktop (by clicking the desktop tile) and you want to go back to the 'Start Screen' then you put your mouse pointer in the bottom left corner (where start button normally is) and click it, this reveals the 'Start Screen' - however (on desktop or start screen) if you put your mouse pointer there and right-click it shows a list of options such as Computer, Control Panel, Run, CMD, System ...so on and so forth..all the windows system tools you need.
while on the 'Desktop' and you want to open 'Computer' (My Computer) you can either just click the folder icon in the tray (same as windows 7) or right-click while in bottom left corner and choose "computer" (as explained before)
Windows 8 has the Start Screen optimized for touch screen devices with its 'tiles' - it also has the regular 'Control Panel' but also 'Settings' which has extra options not found in control panel - this is touch screen optimized too...
Windows 8 has few other features like charms bar and another side bar and methods that allow you to switch through opened programs and windows - it has a bit of a learning curve, some people loath it and/or not willing to learn it and see what its like... I like Windows 8 but heres what I dis-like about it:
1) it automatically logs in the last person to use the computer... this means if you have multiple user accounts and user B turns on the computer after User A was using it then it logs you straight into User A's account...!!! daft I know.. you click their icon in top right and can either log them out or log yourself in (while they are still logged in) , when I had win8 installed I used a reg hack to stop this from happening.
2) the shutdown button is a bit fiddly to find and get to I think, I created Shutdown/Sleep shortcuts for taskbar when I had it installed.
3) arriving at the start screen instead of desktop when logging in, this is going to be changed in coming update though, the user will soon have the option to choose.
personally my advice would be to stick with windows 7 as your used to that sort of setup..., or go into your local PC World and ask for a demo of Windows 8 - just use one of the computers and see what you think. screens of windows 8 start screen: