Thanks for that list. In effect, windows 8.1 has lost very little functionality from windows 7. It puzzles me why there is so much hate for the windows 8.1 operating system about the modern UI when it can effectively be disabled and ignored. It's as it people are specifically looking for a reason, validity be damned, to hate windows.
I wonder if I will be accused of astroturfing just because this is my first HN comment.