Make Windows 8 look like Windows 7

I know this topic has been discussed many many times, but I would just like to throw in my two cents.

I tested many different ways to incorporate the Start button many users are used to into Windows 8, including ViStart, StartW8 and others, but Classic Shell provides the best start button. It is multilingual, which means it adopts to almost any Windows 8 UI language, it provides drag-ability to items that are inside it, search bar shows items in real time, basically every feature you'd want in your Start button is present here.

Now, Windows 8.1 already comes with the Start button, which in my opinion is far from what the Start button should be - it simply throws you back into Start Screen (the one with the tiles).
In this case, Classic Shell doesn't create a secondary Start button but simply replaces the current one:

It is, of course, programmed to start up right into desktop like Windows 7 would. So now, the Start Screen is simply an optional feature that you can use when you feel like it, and your default interface closely resembles Windows 7. This, in my opinion, is what Windows 8 should be like - you choose your default interface depending on your device. There is no need for touch interface on a desktop computer - same as it's quite hard to use the Desktop with the icons on a 7-10 inch tablet.

Anyway, the desktop is still draggable downwards like it used to be, which will bring you back into Start Screen, and you can also access it via the Classic Shell Start button, its right up there on top of the recently used apps.

For those who'd want their Gadgets back - there's a program called 8GadgetPack which brings back all of the old gadgets plus some new interesting ones, and it even comes with the sidebar for the Vista die-hard fans.

Now, all that's left is modifying the default way your files are opened, because by default most picture files will open with the default photo app which is in full screen. Granted it now looks better than it did in Windows 8, it may still be burdensome for those who want their picture in an actual 'window'.
So to make sure our files aren't opened with Apps but rather with Programs - we should modify our Default Programs inside Control Panel. Click on Set Default Programs, scroll down to Windows Photo Viewer and set it as the default program for opening pictures and photos.

Same can be done regarding PDF files (after you've installed Adobe Reader), music files, videos, etc etc.