• Windows button(Win) + E = Explore
• Win + M = Minimise all windows
• Win + F = Find/Search
• Win + Tab = Graphical 3D scroll through active windows - mmm pretty!
• Alt+Space + n = minimise active window
• Alt+Space + r = restore
• Alt + F4 - Close program
  

Rather than trawling though a list of programs, if you know the name then press and release windows button and type the program name.  The list above will be filtered.