Windows 8 Desktop sounds OK esp with Ninite

I've been wondering whether getting Win 8 Pro make sense, as I have some of the $15 upgrades MS was giving out to recent Win 7 buyers.   Historically the Pro version offers features the Home version does not, but having used XP Home for years, the Pro features are of fairly low priority.

Pros:
 - It boots faster and is more secure.
 - Built in AV in the form of MS Defender
 - The Hyper-V virtual machine built in allowing guest OSs to run.  This saves one from having to download the free and good VirtualBox

Cons:
 - MS removed the Start Menu on the desktop but there are 3rd party solutions.   See Solutions.

Solutions

1) I've recently learned of Ninite which installs all sorts of desirable free software (e.g. Chrome and/or Firefox, Free A/V, OpenOffice, Google Earth, Skype, etc) without any crapware or toolbars or any other junk.  

For Win 8, it also installs ClassicStart, a popular Start Menu replacement.

Why has it taken me so long to learn of this?