I should've known this would turn into a discussion about the start menu
I really don't get all the fuss about it. The new Start Screen works exactly how the start menu works when you think about it:
- You open it by clicking the bottom left corner or pressing the Windows key
- You can search just by typing (although admittedly this functionality is far too hidden in Windows 8)
- You can pin programs (apps) to it, except in Windows 8 you can have a lot more
Plus, you get live tiles, which you don't with the start menu.
My only gripe with it is that non-metro apps have ugly tiles and you need to get third-party apps to customize it. Also, we should be able to have custom live tiles somehow.