The startpage of the Windows 8 operating system and the new user interface that goes along with it is a fundamental change that many Windows users may have issues adopting to.
1. Classic Shell adds features to the Windows operating system that Microsoft has changed, altered or removed from newer versions of Windows. The open source program not only adds a start menu back to the Windows 8 desktop but also offers to skip the Metro startpage when you boot the operating system.
2. Start8 offers a similar functionality on first glance. You can use it to skip the Windows 8 start page and load the desktop interface right away. It too adds a start menu to the desktop, but unlike Classic Shell, it adds a copy of the startpage there to give you direct access to apps and tools.
3. Skip Metro Suite
Skip Metro Suite ships with two features. The first lets you skip the Metro startpage so that you can boot straight into the Windows desktop environment. The second feature disables the hot corners that Microsoft has added to Windows 8. It disables both Charms Bar corners located on the top right and bottom right of the screen, and the apps switcher that you find on the top left corner of the screen.
4. 4Desktop is a small program that you need to add to the startup or the Windows Task Scheduler so that it is always run on user log in on the system. It requires manual configuration with the instructions posted on the linked web page.
Source: everything-microsoft.com