Windows 8 blocks users from hiding Metro Start Screen after logon

Are you sure about that? Perhaps they have changed it recently, but as of my last run through with Ubuntu we were not able to put the launcher bar whereever we wanted in the Unity interface, and we were not able to revert back to a Gnome gui (I understand this has been corrected but still isn't stable). A developer stated that because devices are all wide screen now, they felt the best place for the launcher was at the left side and it was our job to get used to it, not their job to allow us to put it where we were most comfortable with it. It took extreme hacks and even then it was unstable to move that launcher bar anywhere else, and that's the sort of thing I am talking about. That's essentially what M$ just did to us.

Not if it still looks like this and there is no way to customize to be more appealing.

If the squares where translucent and not color coded, I would consider using Start Screen, only if the Start Screen used the desktop background image. I see absolutely no reason why the Start Screen UI cannot be overlaid on top of desktop. What is with this desire to toggle between the two. You say there is more functionality in Windows 8, I would tend to disagree, at least till more apps are designed for use in Windows 8. Who am I to argue though, I've not touched Windows 8 (pun intended), I can't seem to get past how ugly the Start Screen is.

You might be right, I don't think you can change it by default. I used ubuntu tweak to change stuff with unity and eventually downloaded the cinnamon desktop to replace unity entirely. I know you can use Gnome too, but I haven't tried it.

I was talking about stuff for power users. They drastically improved pretty much all of their built in programs (things like the backup system, task manager, and system restore)

I'm talking about the reluctance in giving those enhancements a try because of the Crayola Start Screen.

Simplicity is bliss

Companies will just have to buy/deploy all-in-one systems with touchscreens. To use Windows 8, 9, 10 or higher. Gone is the old way of using Windows with 7.

Nah, companies will just have to switch to OSX & Linux in their droves (mine's certainly looking into it!)