Add a start menu to Windows 8

One of the great frustrations of the new Windows, for many people, is the lack of a start menu.

Fortunately, there are some ways around this that can make it just as easy to navigate as Windows 7.

Power8

Launches and positions itself in the Taskbar opposite to Show Desktop button. For XP, it places itself over Start button;
Styled similar to Show Desktop button (as in Developer Preview);
Power and session features:
Shutdown;
Sleep;
Hibernate;
Restart;
Log off;
Lock screen (start screensaver);
Lock Windows;
Displays expanding “All Programs” menu as it was back in old good XP&98 time:
With real icons;
With real descriptions (from desktop.ini);
Click to launch item;
On main button right-click:
Allows to toggle auto-start;
Allows to enable automatic check for updates;
Allows to block Metro corner mouse rectangles;
Allows to show About window;
Allows to exit application;

Context menu over menu items (Open folder, Open common folder, Run, Run as Administrator, …):

(screenshot taken under WindowsXP SP3 RU, take a note on how Power8 uses system localized elements);
Activated by hot key (Alt+Z) (see details here);
Checks for updates (see details here);
Has dedicated special menued folder buttons: open folder or show the menu with contents(see details here);
Can search your PC and Internet 3 different ways (see details here):
Immediate All Programs and Most Frequently Used (MFU) applications search;
Windows Search returned results;
Support for internet search (like “w driver”);
Shows MFU history taken from system (see details here);
Shows Jump Lists for MFU elements (see details here):
System Jump Lists for Windows 7 and 8, when obtainable;
Elements from internal JL engine for all supported OS.
Allows you to pin/unpin MFU elements;
Localized (see languages list above).

https://code.google.com/p/power8/

Start8

Features
– Adds a “Start” menu to the Windows 8 taskbar
– Enables quick access and searching of your installed applications
– Adds Run… option via right-click menu
– Adds Shutdown… option via right-click menu
– Choose a custom Start button image
New in v0.87, July 2012
– Automatically load your Windows desktop on login (vs the start screen)
New in v0.86, March 2012
– Adds control over the “Start” menu size on the Explorer desktop
– Adds option for the “WinKey” to show fullscreen “Metro” desktop
System requirements
– Windows 8 Consumer or Release Preview