I really like Windows 8, overall, but i have retracted my stance on the Start Screen, as it amounts to Microsoft taking options away instead of expanding upon them. If you, too, like Windows 8 save for Metro, just download Classic Shell, and you can have the advantages of booting straight to desktop, disabling the hot corners, and gaining a Start menu back( and you can choose styles reminiscent of 95/98/ME, 2000/XP, or Vista/7)
Give it a shot, its free, and pretty awesome.