Windows 8 "refresh" removed applications

Windows 8 automatically updated. It did not ask for approval, it gave no warning. No warning, no nothing. It is outrageous that Windows would need to nuke all non-MS apps an programs as part of an OS upgrade. No other OS does that. Ha ! and then people complain about Linux being uncomfortable. 

If this is going to be a recurrent feature every time the windows installer needs to upgrade the OS by a minor version number, that's going to be a LOT opf work, destruction of value and NOT very comfortable or user friendly. Very disappointed in a product that actually charges for a pseudo-service like this.

(with one big exception -- a list of removed apps was NOT saved to my desktop or anywhere else as far as I can tell).  

hello,

I accidentally ran refresh when I was actually trying to restart Windows 8 in safe mode. But like in your case, there was no 'list of uninstalled programs' on my desktop. That screws me up even harder. Any way to find this 'list'? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated! Thanks!

This site is full of "Not applicable" answers. Very frustrating that this is even listed as a "Support" site.

Also, tech support did not explain to me that "refresh" meant "re-install" why would I ever think those two words meant the same thing.  Refresh implies something quick and easy and I wouldn't think to question what tech support was telling me to do.  Had the word "reinstall" been anywhere in those warnings I would have stopped tech support at that moment and gotten a clearer answer. I've been using WIN8 for two months and this is completely different from XP which I had been using for a number of years.  I believed to be happening was a "refreshing" of my computer - NOT a reinstall of my OS.  Win8 is a completely new OS that the basic computer user with surface knowledge that is using completely new terminology when it comes to these things.   While I am lucky as I had MOST of my files  backed up, I can understand how most people would be rather upset.    To an average computer user apps does not mean the same as software/programs,  if you say to most people "what is microsoft office?" they are going to answer "program" not "an app"....as evidenced by this thread and "refresh" does not mean "reinstall the OS"   Just like F8 is supposed to put you into safe mode. I don't see a reason to be so mean to people who don't have the same level of understanding as you do. 

The simple answer to anyone asking why they can't get their files back is this:

When you refreshed your computer, you reinstalled Windows 8.  When the warning came up about "APPS" they were talking about your programs and software. When it said it would not effect your personal data and files, it DID NOT mean 3rd party programs/apps/software.  Such as any programs that were not originally installed on the computer, including things like microsoft word and photoshop, unless you backed up the files on the hard drive or to a USB or something along those lines or "create an image" which means "backup".  You misunderstood what "refresh" was going to do and need to learn all the new terminology that Microsoft has chosen to use for this completely new OS that not everyone has caught up with yet.

Oh and the back up thing is not working for me either.  The software company that I use to run my .svg files is unable to get my backed up files restored. yay. so apparently. backing them up doesn't work either. my only files that were saved were ones backed up to a cloud.