I mostly single task on a non-touch desktop with keyboard and mouse. And it's useful.

Dude. I'm a power user. A software developer. I never have fewer than a dozen tabs open in a browser, and a dozen applications open at once. I'm about as power-user a user as they come.

(or more accurately, this news is nothing new, as you can do this in Windows 8.1 right now)

Dude. It's LESS cumbersome in Windows 8 than in Windows 7. The All Apps screen in 8.1 can be sorted by most recently used, date of install, name, category, etc. I find it WAY easier to find things in Windows 8, than having to remember the publisher of the app in order to drill down the nested menus of the old Win7…

But that's just bogus. The full screen start screen is perfectly functional, completely customizable, and really nice and efficient and powerful.

Windows 8.1 is significantly better.

This makes sense when Windows 8.1 Update 1 is installed on desktops, and non-touch laptops.

Windows-F brings up a side-bar search. Have you tried that?

Yeah, it's so difficult to learn to right-click instead of left-click if you want to navigate to things like the Control Panel... and this also makes it way easier to access things like Event Viewer and Device Manager and Networks, etc. All right there in one menu.

It's NOT a nightmare. It just isn't. That's hyperbole born out of frustration I guess.

I'm actually faster with the Start screen than with the Start Menu. It's much easier to find things, to launch things, and I even move my mouse less.

Then you should take a few minute to learn how to use the system. There's no reason to get lost after just a tiny amount of training.

All PCs should be able to go from Windows 8.0 to Windows 8.1 for free just by hitting the App Store (the green metro tile labeled 'Store'). If that doesn't work for some reason, it's probably because you're not up to date via windows update. You need to make sure you've applied ALL updates from there. If you still…

If you're open-minded, and willing to 1) take a few tutorials and/or google to learn how to use the new features, and 2) take a few moments up front to configure and tweak and customize it for your use, then yes. Windows 8.1 is much faster than Windows 7, more stable, more secure, with more functions and features…

Why do you hate it? Seriously, I do NOT understand everyone's hate for it... other than to assume people have no clue you can and should customize it for yourself, as your home screen. I see so many people who hate it and yet they still have it filled just like it installed... tons of metro apps they never use. …

Something went wrong with your upgrade then... because Windows 8.1 boots up every bit as fast as Windows 8. You might want to try again, or maybe check the support forums for your PC and see if they have a firmware update or if anyone else reported your issues.

The Start Screen *IS* your Start Menu. Just customize it like you want (unpin all the metro apps, pin all the apps you use often enough to want, but not often enough to pin to your task bar or have as a short-cut on your desktop), and volia. It's every bit as useful, fast, and efficient as the start menu.

I'll never understand this complaint. Tap the start button and type. Exact same as Windows 7. If the start screen makes you "lose focus" you should probably see a doctor or a shrink, because you have some sort of mental defect. Seriously, this is THE stupidest whine I've ever heard. ESPECIALLY with Windows 8.1…

Never understood why so many people think right-clicking the Start button and clicking "Control Panel" was so hard...

This is a completely unnecessary crutch.