For those who really need the start button back on 8, 8.1, there is a great little program called start8 from stardock for $5.
Puts a start button just like windows 7.
 

well there goes 5 bucks...haha

Maybe look here for those visual effects:
 

I have a feeling a lot of people will be switching to Windows 10 next year.  I've played with the preview version on a virtual machine on my desktop, and it's got all of the good things about Windows 8.1 combined with the familiar start button.  Plus they add virtual desktops which is something Linux/UNIX/Mac users have had for some time now.
 
I will wait for the final release before upgrading, but I'm definitely looking forward to Windows 10, and I think it will be as popular as Windows 7 and XP were

8+ has better multi-core management. Hence it is faster.
 
Boot faster: not an issue. Booting speed is not indicative of running performance. Once windows is booted it does little OS access, other than managing the pagefile, which should ALWAYS be set to system managed.
 
I have configured dozens of w8+ computers for clients, and family members. Rarely are the START-WALLs seen by anyone, other than during initial logon to click the DESKTOP tile.
 
Once installed:
install adobe reader and select it to be the default for PDF files
   and then disable the auto update service
select the windows media player as default
select the windows image util as the default
 
And then: disable ALL live tiles.
 
set windows updates to never check. Only manual: install hardware updates separately.
 
Review the scheduled tasks to disable ALL user experience stuff, and auto utils such as defrag,...
 
After installing drivers make sure NONE of them auto-check for updates: such as AMD CCC,...
 
And: disable ALL AMD services and startup options, if using any AMD bits.
 
And then: check ALL the services and startup options.
 
Use MSCONFIG, click the HIDE ALL MS services, to show other items.
 
Disable most of them:  Only one I have enabled it Logitech blue-toot service.
  Google, NI hardware,...  are all disabled.
 
MS services: Disable MS media player sharing service (what is the point of this?)
 
Taskbar: set to NEVER combine, and to SHOW ALL for the notification area.
 
Do NOT select to boot directly to the desktop. Any settings, such as removing the idiotic shadow for icons and fonts on the desktop, will not be honored.
 
Learn how to add shortcuts to the taskbar, and the desktop. Then create folders on the desktop for all the various tools: audio tools, audio programs, windows tools,....
 
Have ONLY the most often used shortcuts on the desktop.
 
NEVER NEVER NEVER  save ANY programs, or files, to the desktop.   
 
The desktop should be clean and quick. (I have clients who save EVERYTHING to the desktop and now cannot find anything.)
 
The desktop is not always included in backup software default settings. 
 
Learn all the w8 desktop screen mouse positions and quick clicks.
 
 

Good post You don't have to call me ? 
Those are all the tricks I try and do too. 
Of course that would all be for an off line DAW, for my office computer I don't worry about the same things. But I still nuke anything that is automatically trying to phone home. I pay for bandwith @ $10 per Gig,, so I need to be in control. 
 
Oh and I just happened to notice that this thread for some unknown reason is still in the Sonar forum. My question about windows  got moved pronto to computers...? 

That verdict isn't out yet but W8 users may get W10 free or at a reduced price. That is an MS apology for releasing an unpopular OS.  It seems like this happens every other OS release.

Changing the toolbar setting to boot directly to the desktop does not honor the setting to not show the drop shadows.  I boot to the START WALL and then click the desktop icon.
 
No need to move the page file from the OS disk as that is about the only thing the OS accesses on the disk after all programs are loaded. But if you do so, add a small pagefile to the OS so all the errors can be recorded.
 
Many years ago RME did a bunch of tests and came to the conclusion that letting windows have control of the swap/page file was best. Setting size limits actually interfered.
 
And, no matter how much RAM ya gots windows will remove from memory a bunch of stuff that is not being used, if a swap/page file exists.
 
I find almost all computers take at least 10 minutes to fully boot. Especially if any programs are set to auto update.  Windows does all its stuff including placing pages in the swap files, checking licenses, checking com programs, creating a quick system restore point, security audits,...  Look at the Event Viewer logs to know what is happening and how long it actually takes to completely boot.
 
This morning my computer posted event items from 9:22 to 9:33. And I have every auto-update program disabled that I know of and can disable.
 
The event viewer does not list all the stuff the computer is doing.
 
This does not mean a user cannot start programs,... once the START WALL/ Desktop appears.  But by letting the computer finish its bits and pieces it will respond quicker to opening Sonar,...
 
Auto Defrag:  Initially I had not disabled this (and other early morning items) as I am rarely using the computer, nor is it on, at 1am.  And I know many of the MS auto items will run in the morning, when I am usually not using audio programs, just writing,...
 
But once upon a way late night, I got whopped by this one during a mixing session. The computer became slow. I checked the processes and found the Defragger was defraggering.
Now all the stuff not related to the computer working is disabled.
 
I use Auslogics defrag to also optimize the files with the OS files placed at the beginning of the disk.

Anyone had experience with http://www.dwindows.info/2014/02/windows-81-heavier-edition-2014-x64.html

I apologize if in any way I am read as being argumentative. I am an old guy. Started computing in '85 when I got the first great computer of the age: An Amiga.  Out of the box color, time slice multi-tasking, stereo audio,...
Sure was sad that Commodore bought the company and trashed it.
 
Been supporting windows computers since the beginning. Currently have clients using XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1. And Office 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013.
------------------
Setting the page file size limits requires the OS to delete stuff, update the current version of the "FATs" and then write to the deleted area, and then update the FATs again.  Without size limits the OS will save to the disk where ever and later do some clean up. Fewer operations, hence faster.
 
I defragment of the page/swap file by deleting it, defragmenting the disk, and creating it again. About every two weeks when I do all the disk clean-up stuff.
 
I use partitions as well for the big drives. Used to be needed because of the file block size and OS addressing. not so much any more.
 
Read some research last year that indicated it was better to have small drives for audio projects. Smaller disk less head movement when reading, writing, updating the index,.... Prolly not an issue with SSDs. But too many people are using these for OS disks instead of project/sample disks.  Booting 3 minutes faster has no bearing upon operating performance.
 
"I need it to boot fast so I do not lose the idea."  Yea, that is why I have a small digital recorder. Always with reach, especially at night.
 
I have a client who partitioned his one disk, placed the page file on the 2nd partition, and installed programs there, and some backup files,...   Noticeably decrease in performance because the same set of heads were being used for both partitions. Each of which has its own index.
 
---------------------------------------
 
Currently I am using the same machine for all activities.  The main business comp MB died two months ago. Luckily I always install MS office on all computers.  I use Excel for everything: lyrics, patch panel routing diagrams, lists of all equipment, and software,....  Been using spreadsheets as my primary tools since '85. So moving to the music comp for business use was sorta quick.
 
Sure is easier to use one computer than two: easier to copy, move, backup,....   We have 3 floortops, 3 laptops, dedicated "TV" computer, and a tablet in the house.   Currently got a nice, old laptop running w7 on a table in the potty room. Takes less room than the desktop did. No potty room should be without internet access.
 
All the computers have remote access to all the other computers. Truly useful.
 
---------------------
I site RME's research as it pertains to users playing with the swap file. RME's results were general. Just like Google's research about disk cooling: temperature below suggested range resulted in more failures.  After reading this I removed the extra fans from the case.  All temps are within reason. And the computers are quieter. 
 
I love science. Don't you?
 
 

YouDontHasToCallMeJohnson
Been using spreadsheets as my primary tools since '85. So moving to the music comp for business use was sorta quick.

I've always wondered about those who'll send a short memo using excel.
A 10mb doc for 5 or 6 lines of text !
 
Used to drive me crazy, back in the days when at least I worried about overloading internet bandwidth.
(And my connection was 300 baud)
 

YouDontHasToCallMeJohnson
I apologize if in any way I am read as being argumentative. I am an old guy. Started computing in '85 when
...
I love science. Don't you?

 
I don't feel you as argumentative. 
I started programming on 1968, if it matters.
If you asked me in, say 1990, would the Intel architecture be where it is now, I would have laughed.
I also like science.