>><snip>
>>> Second, if I need something that isn't there, I hit
>>>the Windows key then start typing the name of what I want. When it comes up in search, I select it (often it's the first item and I just hit Enter). If I'm on the start screen and want to get back to the desktop, I hit windows+D. It's become second nature and I've found typing in the name of the program to find it is easier and faster than navigating a hierarchical list of items. But again, how you work may differ from how I work.
>>
>>Do you realize how funny that is, how "retro", not metro? You now have to type
>>the name of the application you want ? Wow, that's progress vs. just clicking an
>>icon or finding it in a logical menu structure.
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>I don't know about you, Jos, but I typically use 15 to 20 apps regularly. Many of these are right-click menu context items, such as "Edit in Notepad++" or "Edit with GIMP". Most of my other( frequently used) apps are on my Quick Launch bar. And for those others I use regularly, but not as often, they're on the start menu listing (most of them pinned).
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>Very rarely do I need to type an app name in Win7. But, when I do need to I'm glad it's there. I would just hate to do it all the time. It also seems an odd thing to expect on Win8 where things should be moving toward touch.

I would say I have 15 apps and 5+ links to oft used files (xls, pdf, etc). These are on my desktop or quick-start bar. I never type anything - I find what I need in the Start -> Programs folder hierarchy.

Why should I need to do such an arcane thing as type the name of the program (which I may not even know for sure) as Craig suggests vs. accessing an icon on my desktop or via the Start menu?

The problem with Windows 8 is that MS wants to convert the desktop experience to a controlled computing ecosystem like what Apple did with iPad/iPhone. But the difference is that Apple invented an entire new computing ecosystem which included hardware and app store. MS wants to takeover an existing ecosystem and control it. In order to do that they need to convert you to a new computing interface (i.e. Metro and away from desktop mode) which requires software to be controlled via the MS apps store. There is no way MS could leave the desktop as is and force apps via the app store - no one would buy it like that. So they need to put them side-by-side, force Metro as default, allow access back to desktop mode and then start removing features from the desktop mode (e.g. the Start button for which there is no rational explanation whatsoever - why would this button need to be removed, why? What difference does it make to MS to keep it?). And then eventually get you into Metro only mode. Well good luck with that MS.