Microsoft Bring the Start Menu Back to Windows 8

[Mario92]

I never understood why people bitch about this to begin with. I have Windows 8.1, and its great, you can tap an icon that says desktop (or simply push the window key on your keyboard) and it will bring you to an alternate Windows 7ish desktop with a start menu.

It's really simple to make computer to boot up straight to desktop. http://imgur.com/Ar3nKGS
If that weren't there I would be insane by now. Because of that option metro acts just like regular start menu that it'll show up only when needed and closes immidiately when things are done.

EDIT: Oh sweet! I just noticed that top option disables that stupid quick menu from right which I literally never use! <3

 

[Pleng]

I think the biggest issue with Metro was that people felt that it was forced upon them, and Microsoft are kind of caught in a 'what is it we actually want to do' situation. They are both trying to drum up software support for their mobile OS, and continue profit on their desktop OS.

Now to drum up support on their mobile OS the best strategy would have clearly been to release the Metro environment for free as an update to Windows 7. However, if Metro was seen as a "must-have" then by releasing it for free to users of an existing OS would have obviously slowed take-up of Windows 8. It wasn't seen as a must-have (because, well, it isn't) and therefore Microsoft made a big strategy mistake.

Had Metro been released for Win7, and had also been completely optional at the beginning of the Win8 lifecycle, then both Metro and Win8 would have had faster take-up rates (as Win8 has enough features to sell on it's own merits, regardless of Metro)

Case in point: I was working on a project to rewrite a piece of software that was nearing obsolescence - the code base was too buggy to maintain and it needed redoing from the ground up. The software in question was a desktop WinForms application - but moving forward we wanted to have the software available to run on tablet computers, and perhaps smartphones, too. This left us with realistic options; A Metro application or an Android application. It probably doesn't take too much work to figure which way that one went... but if the Metro application would also have worked on any existing Windows 7 install, then the decision would have been a *lot* more difficult.

 

[depat]

yesssssss finally the new ceo is looking a microsoft and saying, ballmer you are so full of shit i have so much to fix and the new windows update is just the proof the ballmer was a old fashioned ceo

 

[stomp_442]

Microsoft must be trying to boost sales of Win8, why else the change? Look at the advertised features of the XBOX One before it's release, needs to always be online, they shit canned that idea because of all the collective bitching and crying from the internet.

 

[Zerousen]

Honestly, I don't mind Windows 8, all it needs is a bit of modification and it's pretty much the same as Windows 7. Gonna be using it as my main OS when the rest of my computer parts are delivered.

 

[Kwartel]

Great for the manners, but no way in hell I'm going back to that shit. Modern UI is great and as user of both a normal pc as a Surface RT, I can say that W8.1 is great on touch and keyboard/mice devices. And without those classic shell shit and alternatives. Start using it, make icons small and if you don't want to have to overlap a running program to start something for monitoring purposes: winkey+S

 

[kirbymaster101]

start8 ftw

 

[nl255]

Great for the manners, but no way in hell I'm going back to that shit. Modern UI is great and as user of both a normal pc as a Surface RT, I can say that W8.1 is great on touch and keyboard/mice devices. And without those classic shell shit and alternatives. Start using it, make icons small and if you don't want to have to overlap a running program to start something for monitoring purposes: winkey+S

Oh really, then why to just run Solitaire do you have to go into the Games store and search for it and then finally you can click play. The old start menu or even a "my apps/my games" function like the Xbox 360 has would be much better but no, you have to do everything from the store. Imagine if in order to run any Xbox game whether from disc or downloaded you had to go into the Xbox Live store and run it from there, no more "run disc" icon.

 

[Yepi69]

With or without start menu, I don't give a shit, still not gonna upgrade to Windows 8 nor 8.1.
My laptop came with Windows 8 and it had terrible compatibility with games I would install (yes I'm aware of compatibility mode, that didn't work either) even bought games from Steam and still didn't work, upgraded to 8.1 and it got even worse in terms of compatibility.
The system is fast, beautiful but doesn't please me in some aspects, I rather use my old Windows 7 and its almost-perfect compatibility and beautiful UI.

 

[nl255]

With or without start menu, I don't give a shit, still not gonna upgrade to Windows 8 nor 8.1.
My laptop came with Windows 8 and it had terrible compatibility with games I would install (yes I'm aware of compatibility mode, that didn't work either) even bought games from Steam and still didn't work, upgraded to 8.1 and it got even worse in terms of compatibility.
The system is fast, beautiful but doesn't please me in some aspects, I rather use my old Windows 7 and its almost-perfect compatibility and beautiful UI.

Well I just grabbed the 90 day evaluation version of Windows 8.1 from Microsoft and installed it in Virtualbox to test it out. I am currently using Windows 7 Ultimate and plan on keeping it that way. The only good thing about Windows 8.1 that I have found is that you don't need to install the guest additions to make mouse integration work as apparently Windows 8.1 has support for Virtualbox built in.

 

[Arras]

Oh really, then why to just run Solitaire do you have to go into the Games store and search for it and then finally you can click play. The old start menu or even a "my apps/my games" function like the Xbox 360 has would be much better but no, you have to do everything from the store. Imagine if in order to run any Xbox game whether from disc or downloaded you had to go into the Xbox Live store and run it from there, no more "run disc" icon.

You're doing it wrong. As long as Solitaire is installed (which you do need to do from the Windows Store first, true) you can start it like any other app - by looking for it in all programs, typing part of the name or pinning it to your start screen.

 

[nl255]

You're doing it wrong. As long as Solitaire is installed (which you do need to do from the Windows Store first, true) you can start it like any other app - by looking for it in all programs, typing part of the name or pinning it to your start screen.

Finally found it. Of course, Stardock still hasn't sent the emails for the start8/modernmix trial versions yet for some reason.

 

[Tomobobo]

The windows 8 ui is terrible.

There's no excuse for mucking up everything as badly as they have.

I want to know who thought it was a good idea to have to fucking hover your fucking mouse over a certain fucking part of the screen to bring up key functionality of your operating system.

 

[Mario92]

The windows 8 ui is terrible.

There's no excuse for mucking up everything as badly as they have.

I want to know who thought it was a good idea to have to fucking hover your fucking mouse over a certain fucking part of the screen to bring up key functionality of your operating system.

That sounds like guy who just tested regular 8 in virtualbox. Do you even know what you are talking about? Windows 8.1 UI is pretty much same from 7 outside metro as stated doesn't even need to be used. Hovering mouse a certain part? If you mean that right side panel it's coming either by going right-up or right-down corner, no need to hover and it's possible to disable it completely. Only thing actually even in there is shut down button.

Which brings me to say that update just came. Shut down button is now right there visible instead of hidden under that right side panel under settings.
Microsoft Store was pinned to my task bar. Metro apps now have minimize and close buttons but can't be runned in window however. Not big deal as Microsoft Store is one of the only few metro app I have installed.

 

[nl255]

That sounds like guy who just tested regular 8 in virtualbox. Do you even know what you are talking about? Windows 8.1 UI is pretty much same from 7 outside metro as stated doesn't even need to be used. Hovering mouse a certain part? If you mean that right side panel it's coming either by going right-up or right-down corner, no need to hover and it's possible to disable it completely. Only thing actually even in there is shut down button.

Which brings me to say that update just came. Shut down button is now right there visible instead of hidden under that right side panel under settings.
Microsoft Store was pinned to my task bar. Metro apps now have minimize and close buttons but can't be runned in window however. Not big deal as Microsoft Store is one of the only few metro app I have installed.

No updates yet and no hacks like start8 or classic shell and not using the desktop at all yet. At least Asphalt 8 works well with WineD3D (which is what Vbox uses for Direct3D support) and mouse integration is built in.

 

[osirisjem]

Metro apps now have minimize and close buttons but can't be runned in window however.

After using Windows 8 for 10 seconds, I said leaving out a close / minimize button was a Royal fuck up.
Microsoft really sucks.
Their slow death is inevitable.

 

[Tattorack]

Yay... I suppose? I've been using Classic Shell as my Startmenu, works fine for me.

 

[GameWinner]

Nevermind, I thought this was the EoF.

 

[Tattorack]

After using Windows 8 for 10 seconds, I said leaving out a close / minimize button was a Royal fuck up.
Microsoft really sucks.
Their slow death is inevitable.

Not if Bill Gates still owns it.
He got enough money to pay for the most expensive life-support systems.

 

[Nyancat]

YES!! Start menu is back! Big help BOOM.