Is its function the exact same as pressing the Windows key (bringing up all the app tiles/metro UI thing)? I already do that whenever I want to start something. I tend to navigate using only my keyboard when possible, so when I open stuff up I just hit Windows key and start typing what I want ("chr" and then Enter would start Chrome, for example).

The only downside to the technique I use is that they separate Apps from Settings/Utilities (whatever word they use), so if I want control panel type stuff, I have to arrow down to that filter to see the search results that I want. I hope 8.1 consolidates that (or that there's an option to make it work that way)

Before today I was under the impression that the start button they were bringing back would be like the Windows 7 start button.

It's nice in remote desktop. When you aren't in full screen mode it was annoyingly difficult to get the mouse exactly on the single-pixel-or-two hot corner.

So brave.