About the same speed i reckon. Much quicker than Firefox anyway.
Windows 8 is bit shocking, there is no startmenu anymore, but a startpage (part of the METRO interface used on Windows Phone7). They also supply Metro apps like IE (although IE also has the regular interface), weather app, alarm app, stocks app, etc.
The original 'desktop' is an 'app' as well, hard to explain. But there are a few vids on youtube that will explain it lots better
Basically Windows 8 is a combination of this video:
I do like that Metro interface for Windows Phone, so it should definitely be interesting to see how it works on a desktop. You're using a beta version, Chris, or a RC - is it worth downloading and having a try of it to see if I like it?
Just looks totally strange but change can be good. So this is why it requires lesser hardware than other versions of Windows of recent memory (e.g. Vista, 7 etc)?