I didn't like the touch screen control on the Neptune 7500 washer/dryer set when I first got it, but after a few months I grew to appreciate its advantages. I like having a lot of customizable wash and dry options. It certainly saves time starting up a wash. I keep the most used settings (six combinations per screen) on the first screen, which handles 95% of my washing needs. Other combinations are saved on subsequent screens.
Most Americans now have little problem operating touch-screen devices, such as cell phones or ATM machines. It's a bit unfortunate that Maytag and GE/Hitachi (Harmony) got mired in a patent battle over the big touch screen format, resulting in its not being used on subsequent designs, because it's really quite nice to have.