I just saw this on a new HP laptop I am working on, it actually makes a kind of Program Menu, so if you don't want a full Start Menu like Windows 7, you can use this to just have links to your Programs:
Asus M2N-MX SE Plus § DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2300 MHz (11.5 x 200) 4400+ § Corsair Value Select
CPU
AMD 4400+/4200+
Motherboard
Asus M2N-MX SE Plus/Asus A8M2N-LA (NodusM)
Memory
2 GB/3GB
Graphics Card(s)
GeForce 8400 GS/GeForce 210
Sound Card
nVIDIA GT218 - High Definition Audio Controller
Monitor(s) Displays
Hitachi 40" LCD HDTV
Screen Resolution
"1842 x 1036"
Hard Drives
WDC WD50 00AAKS-007AA SCSI Disk Device
ST1000DL 002-9TT153 SCSI Disk Device
WDC WD3200AAJB-00J3A0 ATA Device
WDC WD32 WD-WCAPZ2942630 USB Device
WD My Book 1140 USB Device
PSU
Works 550w
Case
MSI "M-Box"
Cooling
Water Cooled
Keyboard
Dell Keyboard
Mouse
Microsoft Intellimouse
Internet Speed
Cable Medium Speed
Browser
Chrome/IE 10
Antivirus
Eset NOD32 6.x/Win Defend
Other Info
Recently lost my Windows 8 on my main PC, had to go back to Windows 7.
Yep. It is designed to be a start menu, I've seen it in action. They've made it to add missing start menu functionality back to W8. This is a strategy by HP to accommodate more 'classic' users with the new OS. I think other manufacturers may use similar programs.
Asus M2N-MX SE Plus § DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2300 MHz (11.5 x 200) 4400+ § Corsair Value Select
CPU
AMD 4400+/4200+
Motherboard
Asus M2N-MX SE Plus/Asus A8M2N-LA (NodusM)
Memory
2 GB/3GB
Graphics Card(s)
GeForce 8400 GS/GeForce 210
Sound Card
nVIDIA GT218 - High Definition Audio Controller
Monitor(s) Displays
Hitachi 40" LCD HDTV
Screen Resolution
"1842 x 1036"
Hard Drives
WDC WD50 00AAKS-007AA SCSI Disk Device
ST1000DL 002-9TT153 SCSI Disk Device
WDC WD3200AAJB-00J3A0 ATA Device
WDC WD32 WD-WCAPZ2942630 USB Device
WD My Book 1140 USB Device
PSU
Works 550w
Case
MSI "M-Box"
Cooling
Water Cooled
Keyboard
Dell Keyboard
Mouse
Microsoft Intellimouse
Internet Speed
Cable Medium Speed
Browser
Chrome/IE 10
Antivirus
Eset NOD32 6.x/Win Defend
Other Info
Recently lost my Windows 8 on my main PC, had to go back to Windows 7.