Hi there
The Navigation system on 8.1 (if you haven't set to boot direct to desktop) is a bit STOOOOOOPID imo.
The Start screen shows a few standard pre-installed Metro apps -- going to get rid of those anyway --but then you need to click the Arrow at the bottom of the screen to access the installed windows applications called the APPS screen-- Typing the name of an application or even the first few letter of it works just like W8 from the start screen - but an EXTRA action to get to your applications is NOT what the doctor ordered even if you can have a lot more tiles in the vertical lists.
Wouldn't it be BETTER to throw up the APPLICATION screen first rather than the Microsoft Metro apps especially in the ENTERPRISE version which is what I'm using.
OK they are pinnable to the start but what a dogs dinner of a mess --it means EVEN MORE WORK after installing any proper desktop type application.
To get to the "Apps" screen in Windows 8, you had to either right click or swipe up from the bottom on the "Start" screen, then click/tap on the "All Apps" button.
In Windows 8.1, all you have to do now is either click on the arrow or swipe down on "Start" to get to "Apps".
In both, you can still use the scroll bar at the bottom that appears when you hover over it to scroll through the listed items on "Start" and "Apps".
SEARCH is fine -- you can still do that from the standard START screen
However by default all your installed apps go to the APPS screen which is reached by clicking the ARROW at the bottom of the START screen -- so NONE of your installed apps are initially on the START screen
For example I've just installed Office 2013 on it (and W7 classic games too !!)
Now Start screen remains as on the BOTTOM screenshot. (W8.1 START screen) --NO office apps appear installed on the Start screen (although Install is fine).
The Office programs are all on the TOP screenshot which I get to by clicking on the arrow shown on the FIRST screen. (W8.1 Apps screen)
Now these apps can be pinned to the START screen and the taskbar (and the desktop by opening file location and send to desktop) but it's an EXTRA operation. Windows 8 just adds the tiles to the START SCREEN (middle screenshot - Start screen w8)
So while more logical it's extra work UNLESS one can display the APPS screen BEFORE the Start screen. !!
I can imagine users installing stuff and then looking at the Start screen and saying "Where did my Apps disappear to !!!!.
Yeah, Microsoft stopped having installed programs automatically pinned to Start because to many people were complaining about how they didn't want them to be since it also pinned the readme files for the programs as well. Microsoft listened, and now the other side is complaining. Just can't win. LOL
I'm sure that as programs developers update, programs will soon enough have an option to check during installation to have a shortcut of the program pinned to Start like they do now in Windows 7.
