If you don't like using the keyboard, then just wave your mouse in the lower left part of the screen, and you are at the start screen. Then click on an icon to start you application. That is almost exactly what you did in Windows 7.

I happen to like using keyboard shortcuts, and I think the keyboard shortcuts in Windows 8 are very useful. If you don't like them, then don't use them. Stick with the mouse. It works fine.

You are pretending there is some huge difference between Windows 7 and Windows 8, when the same things work in both operating systems. In windows 7 you click in the bottom left corner on the start button to get to the menu, in WIndows 8 you move your mouse in the bottom left corner to get to the to the start screen. To you it is a big difference, for me it is essentially the same thing, only it is a refreshing change from the same old- same old, plus some nice new features.