Have an older less refined nexus 8 - riding it is like any other bike, put your leg over the top tube and pedal away.
Soon you will forget the comments about weight, gear gaps, drag - even maintenance. The IGH will just keep ticking along. Nexus/alfine 8 hubs have the same range as an 11-34 cassette, much like a1x8 or 9, plenty of range for most commuters. Snow and slush won't gunk up your deraileur, but you do have to keep the shift lever/twister clean and the connection to the hub. Depending upon your bike set up and riding style -have to keep an eye on chain stretch, if you ride year around, suggest one of those rust resistant chains or a stainless one.