Encouraged by the "new, more intuitive UI" points I gave it another try. Background: I did lots of 3d coding and have used several 3d modeling packages, all a while ago. I've tried to learn Blender years ago and after lots of RTFM I could do some things in it back then, but I forgot all about that.
I still find the 2.80 UI unintuitive. Clicking now selects, which is great, but it's weird to me that clicking on the background and then dragging doesn't move the viewport but does a selection box. Neither ctrl-drag nor any other modifier and drag moved the viewport either. After some more trial and error, apparently swiping on the trackpad rotates the viewport and shift-drag moves it, but I couldn't figure out how to dolly after some more trial and error.
IIRC Blender is the only program where I couldn't figure out basic actions without RTFM. It's a bit better now, but that's still the case.
Don't get me wrong, it's really impressive that they're able to do such a big UI overhaul! But at least for me, it feels there's still a ways to go.
If you're using a Mac, or a laptop without a three-button trackpad or mouse, there is an option called "emulate three-button mouse" that lets you use alt+left-click as an alternative to middle-click. A little clumsy, but adequate for viewing files on-the-go.
In the new 2.80 UI, there is a set of colored axes in the top-right corner. Clicking and dragging on those rotates the viewport, and clicking on the ends of one of the axes aligns the viewport to that axis.
To the left of those axes is a hand-shaped icon. Clicking and dragging on this icon translates the viewport.
(I'm curious which programs you've used before. This is definitely the same way you navigate in all of Autodesk's products, and in SolidWorks.)
I still find the 2.80 UI unintuitive. Clicking now selects, which is great, but it's weird to me that clicking on the background and then dragging doesn't move the viewport but does a selection box. Neither ctrl-drag nor any other modifier and drag moved the viewport either. After some more trial and error, apparently swiping on the trackpad rotates the viewport and shift-drag moves it, but I couldn't figure out how to dolly after some more trial and error.
IIRC Blender is the only program where I couldn't figure out basic actions without RTFM. It's a bit better now, but that's still the case.
Don't get me wrong, it's really impressive that they're able to do such a big UI overhaul! But at least for me, it feels there's still a ways to go.