I've been trying to install the latest version of Microsoft Visual Studio Express from their website to toy around with the IDE and C# development in general. I have a relatively fresh and completely vanilla installation of Windows 8.1 Professional x64 for this purpose.

I come from a Linux background, where installing software (especially software distributed by the maintainer of the OS) is usually done with package managers. First, I tried to look for Visual Studio in the Windows 8 Store. There was one entry, but it did not have an installation button. Instead, it redirected me to their website.

From all the products listed under the "Download" section on their website, I decided Visual Studio 2013 Express for Windows Desktop was the best for me. I selected it and clicked on "Install now". An installer program downloaded, and I'm assuming that the installer downloaded the necessary files as it was running. When it was done, it asked for a reboot, to which I obliged.

However, I can't seem to find the IDE installed anywhere? It doesn't show up anywhere in the Start menu interface. I can't find any executables that look like they might be the IDE in its installation folder. Running the installer again and selecting "Repair" does download some files, but after its requested reboot, nothing has changed. The only thing that I can find is an advertisement link to "Try other Visual Studio 2013 Products" in my start menu.

I suppose my question is what I have to do to run Visual Studio 2013 Express on Windows 8.1? Am I not looking in the right places? Am I doing the installation process wrong?

Thanks in advance