The start menu as we knew it is dead, it's a old paradigm that only Windows has been holding onto and now all the users that are stuck in their ways are up in arms, sorry folks, you are going to have to learn to evolve. I'm not looking to all the complaining from my customers tho that's for sure
Agreed Windows 8 is bit of a mess and needs some refining but at least MS is trying to get with the times like OSX and Ubuntu has been for ages.
The idea off the PC doing all the work is also rapidly evolving to a more shared device oriented and connected online experience so it will be interesting to see what's around the courner.