I have only just bought a Windows 8 laptop and am struggling with the difference between W8 and W7. When I right-click at Start the menu shows 'Programs and Features', but when I click I get only the uninstall a program option. I cannot open Canon Utilities (for my printer) because the control panel is not on my desktop as it is on my W7 laptop, and I cannot find the All Programs function. Canon is in my Apps screen but when I click it, although my printer is listed, there is no option to do anything.

I think you're mixing the All Programs from the Start menu with the Programs in the Control panel.

Actually, Windows 7 and 8 both have the same "Programs and Features" list (the uninstall list), it's just that Windows 8 is the first to give you a direct shortcut to get there.

Let me put it this way: Windows 8 still has the same "Start menu" organization, it's just larger (full-screen) now. Windows 7 would show your frequent programs first, then the full catalog under the "All Programs" arrow. Well in fact, Windows 8 does the same thing: just bigger icons.

When you go to All Programs (7, left) or All Apps (8, right), you'll get the complete listing of all your programs that are installed. Windows 7 puts them in a small list, Windows 8 displays the list full-screen.

Quick tip: In all versions of Windows, you can press Image+R to open the Run box, and run the command shell:programs to explore your start menu as a normal file folder.