If they made an option to have the start screen/menu appear like the WiFi menu (isn't that a hideous example of mixing UI concepts? Click one icon, desktop style. Click the next; BLOCKS), as a sidebar, I would consider that a step forwards.
But to those who say that the start screen is great and everybody else just has to "get used to it", remember this: CHOICE is =).
Best thing I've heard anyone not on a forum say about 8 is that "under-the-hood improvements are worth it, but the UI is stupid", or something along those lines. And I suspect a lot of the under-the-hood bit came from the SSHD he installed it on...