Microsoft Bring the Start Menu Back to Windows 8

[Sheimi]

I won't switch to windows 8. Hell, the beta of Windows 8 worked very well than the retail version.

 

[chartube12]

Microsoft why did you cave in? After having windows 8 pro since launch (now windows 8.1 pro), I have realized how useless the start menu is. The start screen is equally useless too unless you have a touch screen and no mouse. 99% of the time I don't use either. Desktop plus search and/or shortcut keys for the win.

 

[shattacrew]

When will microsoft realize Metro & tiles looks retarded, it looks like accessibility options for the half-blind. Why stuck that in the start menu. I use windows 8 for its fast startup. And go straight to desktop. Oh and its easy to hide porn with a touch of the windows key

 

[Ulieq]

Too late bro, already switched back to windows 7.

 

[PityOnU]

Those of us who do things like development often need to launch programs, sometimes while watching other things run. Hiding everything you're doing just to launch something is absurd. The full-screen aspect is the primary reason I hate modern UI.

How long does it take you to launch an application? Like, really?

Because otherwise there's no way to open it with the mouse. It's not essential, but seeing that everyone is used to it being there when they go looking for it (after all, it's been there since 1995).

I do agree that what they should have done was have an overlay pop up (like when you first use an Android device) that highlights where the start button used to be and says "We've moved the start button to your keyboard now."

They really did drop the ball on adding little tiny things like that which would have cleared up so much confusion and hate from the general public.

 

[MarkDarkness]

I'm so tired of uninstalling Windows 8 from the machines of friends/family/coworkers... maybe this will give me a break. Seriously, virtually NOBODY likes this interface. A few people like the ones who manifested themselves in this thread do exist, but I seriously think they must be doing it for the lulz, because nobody can seriously like the idea of having the limitations of a tablet interface in your desktop computer. It can't be possible that people like the idea of running a single non-game piece of software fullscreen and find that remotely productive.

Or the abosutle pinnacle to me: if you use a touchpad and make sideway swipes it cojures that useless fucking menu on the right and steals focus away from what you are supposed to be doing, like, you know, working, chatting with yout buddies... instead of closing that monstrosity for the 50th time. Even better: absolutely no way to disable it without external hacks.

But great system otherwise, guys. Keep doing it for the lulz.

 

[Adeka]

I still don't own a windows 8 computer

 

[weatMod]

If it ain't broke, dun fix it.

Lightbulbs are also well over 100 years old.
Do you abandon those?
Internet is also ~40 years old.
Do you abandon that?

yeah MS and these other companies just like to change shit for no reason, change for the sake of change,

i think the problem comes because most programmer and other people running these companies are socially retarded sperglords with no real human communication skills , this can be the only reason why every single OS sucks and they always make the worst decisions

here is a tiny example of what i mean, before windows 7 ,or maybe vista(i don't know cause who the fuck would use vista) the " add/ remove programs " option in the control panel was called "add or remove programs" because it is a perfectly self fucking explanatory name for what it does,it adds or removes programs, but then some shit for brains retard sperglords come and decide, hey i got an idea lets change the name of this most basic option which has been perfectly named since the beginning of windows to something totally arbitrary and non descript, like , hey i know how about "programs and features" which tells me absolutely fucking nothing about what it does (and also because of the alphabetic order puts this most used of options that was listed at the top previously because "add remove programs" begins with "A" ,down the list about 3/4 to the bottom) , i swear none of these people have any basic communication skills or common sense what so ever, no reason to change something , but hey lets just do it to fuck with people ,
just a tiny example representative of the overall problem , i haven't really looked at win 8 yet but i am sure there are plenty of retarded decisions such as this , and basic shit that has either been removed or moved arround to piss users off, they do it every time , since xp

 

[the_randomizer]

I still don't own a windows 8 computer

You're not missing much lol

 

[Skelletonike]

I've been using Windows 8 since the day it was released. The first few days were awkward on many ways, there were a lot of differences that kind of confused me, someone who had been using Windows PC's for over 16 years. Right now though, I find Windows 7 dull in comparison, I hated the metro at first, and now I find it rather covenient. Be it on my working laptop, my gaming laptop or on my gaming desktop.

Unlike one of the post above me states, I do not like it for the lulz, I seriously like it because I do find it pratical. As for the 'single piece of sotfware fullscreen', Windows 8 allows you to resize and even have several stuff open up at the same time. But then again, that is only with the programs from the windows store, which are for the most part, for all windows 8 machines, not only desktops of laptops but tablets too, they're pretty much like an extra.

 

[CathyRina]

When I tried W8 I remembered that Fraps wouldn't work on that thing well so after the 3 months trial ended up switching back to W7.
The metro was a nice idea but a unnecessary too. Like the screenshot shows now, adding touch friendly design without breaking old formula is easy enough.

 

[Seratonin]

I've been using Windows 8 since the day it was released. The first few days were awkward on many ways, there were a lot of differences that kind of confused me, someone who had been using Windows PC's for over 16 years. Right now though, I find Windows 7 dull in comparison, I hated the metro at first, and now I find it rather covenient. Be it on my working laptop, my gaming laptop or on my gaming desktop.

Unlike one of the post above me states, I do not like it for the lulz, I seriously like it because I do find it pratical. As for the 'single piece of sotfware fullscreen', Windows 8 allows you to resize and even have several stuff open up at the same time. But then again, that is only with the programs from the windows store, which are for the most part, for all windows 8 machines, not only desktops of laptops but tablets too, they're pretty much like an extra.

I've been using Windows PC's for 17 years so I get what you're saying for the most part. Microsoft made a wrong move with Windows 8. The UI for the start menu wasn't ideal for the desktop side because it was only good for people who had a touchscreen. Windows 8 was a good operating system for tablets and any touchscreen device without a doubt. However, the start menu that the audience wanted was the start menu from Windows 7. Why? The average consumers want something simple and easy to open files. The Windows store was a great idea. The changes they are making for Windows 8 is to optionally either use full-screen for touchscreen devices or use the old fashion desktop windowed mode (Metro UI) for people who had a desktop/laptop. In my opinion, Windows 8 could have been successful if they included what I described and give users the option to install unsigned drivers without a hassle.

 

[ieatpixels]

it only took them 3 years.

I just might upgrade after this is released. (tried it 3 years ago and none of my hardware had compatible drivers, I assume that would be fixed now but who knows.)

 

[2ndApex]

I've used Windows 8 for like 90 seconds and I've always heard bad things about it. Is it really that bad or just a ridiculous reputation it got?

It's not "bad", there's just little reason to get it because Windows 7 is cheaper, better, and probably what you're already using.

 

[Skelletonike]

I've been using Windows PC's for 17 years so I get what you're saying for the most part. Microsoft made a wrong move with Windows 8. The UI for the start menu wasn't ideal for the desktop side because it was only good for people who had a touchscreen. Windows 8 was a good operating system for tablets and any touchscreen device without a doubt. However, the start menu that the audience wanted was the start menu from Windows 7. Why? The average consumers want something simple and easy to open files. The Windows store was a great idea. The changes they are making for Windows 8 is to optionally either use full-screen for touchscreen devices or use the old fashion desktop windowed mode (Metro UI) for people who had a desktop/laptop. In my opinion, Windows 8 could have been successful if they included what I described and give users the option to install unsigned drivers without a hassle.

The average user can get used to the new windows just fine though. I taught all my aunts how to use it and they learned it pretty fast, some were experienced with Windows and others were just starting, however they learned it and now they use it fairly easily.
Operating systems are bound to change over time, I seriously doubt that something like the start menu will exist for much longer. Be it microsoft or some other operating system in the future.

 

[Pleng]

Those of us who do things like development often need to launch programs, sometimes while watching other things run. Hiding everything you're doing just to launch something is absurd. The full-screen aspect is the primary reason I hate modern UI.

I have still yet to hear a genuine use case where it is vital to see what's going on in the 5 seconds it takes you to find and launch an application. I'm a developer and I can't see a single situation where this may occur.

 

[vbkun]

Also to add up to above's comment, start menu was already back on the 8.1 update, but in full screen and not a tiny box in the corner.

The way I see it:

Old start menu:
2 levels

first level - Highlights" (pinned stuff)

second level - all apps

clicks to get to all apps : 2


Win 8. Start Menu:

2 levels

first default level - Highlights (pinned tiles)

second default level - all apps

Clicks to get to all apps: 2

Advantages for 8.1 :
- Full screen to browse ur apps, not a single chunck in corner.
- Possibility to change settings and go straight to All apps, eliminating 1 click and making start menu faster than it ever was before 8.1.

Disvantages for 8.1:

- Yeah u don't get to see that nothing happens in the 3/5 seconds u take to launch an application.

 

[filfat]

Why bring back that old thing, its outdated and unproductive, I have been using Windows 8 since the Developer Preview edition.
I hope there is a off switch for it...

Btw, funny how some people are on the internet, remember what happened when they first show off the Start button? Everybody thought it was unproductive, we where proven wrong as it was way better then what we had before. then 3 years ago they show off the Metro UI, which many hated, and said it was unproductive, we where proven wrong its way more productive. Why do people always hate on better things? Nostalgia?

 

[Qtis]

Windows 8.1 and classic shell. Basically the same thing, but not that I really use windows 8 that much

As a serious point though, I have to say that windows 8.1 does more than most people even understand. Quite a few of those things are better than on windows 7.

I'm not the most power heavy user since my main OS is OS X 10.9, but I digress..

 

[KoopaHax35000vr]

Hm, I might actually switch to this if I like it on VMWare.