This change in the interface came about because we thought: "hey that small popup window for your configuration surely is a tiny bit cumbersome". So we changed the interface of the free version to resemble the pro version. Give it a try, you won't be dissapointed.
You will be able to enjoy a nice WYSIWYG editor for setting up your intro/main content references, making it a LOT easier to get your contents into tables, add styling to certain elements or even just moving the readmore link. This means that you will be able to achieve more advanced setups without knowing HTML.
Try out the free version or just upgrade straight away if you need k2, contacts or web links functionality.