The new start menu is a usability nightmare. I can't get desktop alerts on my Start Menu (from AV and Firewall). Toast notifications, when desktop programs catch up to that functionality, won't be as elaborate as desktop notifications. Meaning I won't be able to click "allow" or "deny" or "block" while in the start menu.

Yes, I used the previews and it's my primary OS at home.

> The start menu and the desktop top are two separate "eco systems" for lack of a better word. When you're on the desktop, you can't just start typing and have search popup what it finds like you can on the start menu.

I'm not sure I follow. If you hit the Windows key and begin typing, you have search across your whole system. It's essentially the same as Windows 7 with the exception of user interface. (ie. the same functionality is present)

Want this functionality from the desktop? NOPE! Want this functionality from the App Store? NOPE!

Well except I bought and paid for Start8 and I've been way happier with it installed.

I do not have Windows 8 but just reading this makes it sounds like two methods that are exactly the same?

  - moving the mouse to the start orb == moving the mouse to a hot corner
  - clicking the orb == clicking the hot corner
  - typing == typing

Really I think the new start menu is meant to be easier for people who don't just type in the name of the program they're interested in, allowing them to put all the apps and programs they use onto their start menu and arrange them however they want, not unlike an extended "favourites" menu.

For the same reason people like vi -- switching back and forth between keyboard and mouse is slow, inefficient, and distracting. When using the mouse, you want to stay on the mouse as long as possible. When using the keyboard, you want to stay on the keyboard as long as possible.

I have a console, aliases, scripts etc. if I want to start programs with typing.