Lordy, lordy, the start menu is the most confusing thing about Windows
The start menu is the least user friendly thing in Windows and I have been using windows since 3.1. Ever wonder why people have scores of icons on their desktop? Once you configure the start screen like you want it with only the apps you want to use and in groups that you want it is much easier to use. The first thing I ever do with windows is go search out the apps in the start menu that I use a lot and pin them to the taskbar. You can do that exactly the same in Windows 8 so that when you go to the Desktop, (windows Key+D)is an easy way, you have all your apps nicely pinned to the traditional taskbar.You can even use WinKey+1 to open the first app on your taskbar. Boot up in 10 seeconds, winkey+2 and go directly to the second app/file you have on you desktop taskbar. Pretty darn easy. But you can also pin files and anything else to the start screen so say you are working on a word doc or an Access database application, you can simply pin to start screen and go immediately to it. And to say the metro apps are irrelevent might be true now, but will not be in the future and live tiles can save a lot of time by getting info without having to open the app.
