The Windows key

I used to think of it as a superfluous keysomething that I only pressed accidentally

but the Windows key has many wonderful uses. Here are a few shortcuts we like:
Windows + D: Minimize all windows.
Windows + E: Open Explorer to 'Computer.'
Windows + R: Open the 'Run' prompt.
Windows + T: Scroll through taskbar.
Windows + P: Change display configuration.
Windows + Tab: Scrolls through open windows in an awesome 3D way that will make
people think you're really cool. If they're the kind of people who think keyboard shortcuts
are cool, anyway.
Windows + Arrow keys: Snap your window all over the place.
Windows + [+] or [-]: Activate magnifier. Then hit Ctrl+Alt+I to invert colors. If you want.
It looks cool.
Miscellaneous tricks
Designer/programmer Alex Austin sent me this one: hold Shift and right click in a
folder to add the option "Open command window here." Useful if you're using command
line tools for modding.
Ctrl + Alt + Print Screen: Print Screen throws an image of your desktop onto the
clipboard, but this key combination only captures the active window. I use it for grabbing
screens of windowed games that don't work with whatever screen capture software I'm
using.
Calibrate your screen: Click the Start button, type DCCW into the search and press
Enter to give it a go.
Recover frozen programs: This one is from our friends at TechRadar. Click the Start
button, type RESMON, and hit Enter. Go to the CPU tab and find the frozen process,
right click, and then hit Analyze Wait Chain. The lowest process in the tree is the
one stalling your applicationassuming it's not vital, end it to recover your frozen
window. Save whatever other stuff you have open first, of course, just in case. There's
more wisdom like that in TechRadar's Windows 8 and Windows 7 tip articles.
Become a god: God Mode is less exciting than it sounds, but still cool, giving you
access to everything in the Control Panel from one folder. Create a new folder and
name it:
Whatever.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}
Replacing 'Whatever' with whatever you want, because whatever.
Shake your windows: Grab a window and shake it back and forth to minimize all other
windows.
Didn't see my favorite trick here, so I'll just chip in:
Shift+right click on a file will open the "extended" context menu, giving you the option to
"copy filepath" and make it a pasteable text (e.g. C:\something\anotherthing\myfile.dat)
instead of copying the file.

Useful if you need to send a network address to a colleague or something

Ctrl+PrtScreen does the whole screen, add Alt for just the active window.

On Windows 8 the windows + x followed by the letter you need makes navigating to all sorts
of places really quick compared to Vista and 7 by bypassing the mouse.

Win+x then
F = Programs
M = Device Manager
Y = System
V = Event Viewer
etc...

CTRL + SHIFT + ESC | Opens Task manager without an annoying screen forcing you to
click it.
Windows Key + L to lock your computer
alt + PrtScr captures the active window.
ctrl + PrtScr captures your entire desktop and all open windows even across multiple
monitors.

Win+[Num] will open up the corresponding taskbar program.

For example, I have Chrome, Windows Explorer, and Steam as my first three on the
taskbar, in that order. Win+2 will open up windows explorer, and Win+3 will open up Steam.

Win+L = Lock computer.

Ctrl+W = Close current tab.

Alt+Space = Open move/resize menu. (useful when you have no mouse).

Ctrl+Shift+Esc = Open task manager.

Win+Break = Open system properties.

Hold Windows key and press the down arrow key twice it miniumises all the windows.

Win + D = Straight to the desktop (Doesn't minimise all Windows at all

Win + M = Minimises all Windows
F11 = Full screen in some apps
The key between the right Win and Ctrl can be used to emulate a right mouse click. Useful if
there's a game that crashes and the mouse cursor disappears.
Win + X = Access special options (laptop only Win Vista and 7) which helps with
presentations etc.
Win + Up = Maximises Window
Win + Shift + Right or Left Arrow = Moves a window to another monitor.
Win + E = Opens Explorer useful on Win 7 + 8 (My Computer from Win XP)
Shift when placing a DVD/CD in = Prevents Auto play
Win(or Ctrl) + Escape = Opens start menu