This! This bar is extremely annoying!
I've reverted every annoying change that 8.1 update made (Store on the taskbar; Taskbar in Metro apps; Metro apps on the taskbar) but can't find a way to remove this one and it is driving me nuts.
Note, I am using a laptop computer with a mouse, and no touch screen, and I still believe it is better the way 8.1 was originally. I also don't want to see that abomination in case I have my Surface on the touch cover.
I realized - 8.1 is all my father always wanted in the way he uses computers, but sadly he won't ever be able to use 8/8.1. You see, MS trained all people to use that start minimize maximize interface, despite some people always running everything maximized
and have all applications they want to start as shortcuts on the desktop.
I've personally stopped using MS when 98 SE came out, because I switched to the CLI of Linux and Cisco devices, and XP/FLP for some odd work. Later on got tired of the if it is broken fix it yourself attitude of Linux and went to Mac and to iOS. Now, I
can say MS Metro/Modern or whatever the name is, is the most productive interface, even if I am still holding to my iOS phone, and all that distance from Windows of the Vista/7 generation has allowed me to actually embrace and use 8.1 as it should be used,
much more productive, and I absolutely love the split screen, variable width multitasking between a desktop and a metro app.