I absolutely hate this. I can't figure it out, it SO complicated. I'd recommend you'd do the "Windows 10 thing", where they mixed 8 and 7. My friends and I can't figure this thing out, and I have been used to the old system for 7 years. Please, get rid of it. I BEG you.
I found it a bit tricky at first, but the more I've worked with it, the more I like it.
They've implemented a lot of features that people have been asking for over the years, and I think they've done a very good job putting it all together.
Just give it a chance. Play with it for a while and figure it out. It's really not as complex as it first appears.
i personally like this new friendship interface. it lets me know if my friends come online and go offline which was the most trickiest for me to know about since before this update, i couldn't tell if someone was online or went offline before it was too late and had to manually check it but its not difficult to get used to. it could just be me since i am an advanced person which makes me tend to learn things alot quicker than most people but nonetheless, you will get used to it like the old friend system. Trust me!
I've been wanting an interface like this for years and i love it. It's a bit tricky at first i must admit, i often almost press the wrong things but if you stick with it then it becomes second nature, just give it a shot, honestly