Windows 8 Uturn

[Steven_Cleaver]

About time BBC News - Windows 8 update: Microsoft crisis or business as usual? they came to their senses.

[Gatt]

These are only the same rumours we've been hearing lately about Windows Blue

Nothing concrete yet other than a few quiet mentions of the start button appearing on some of the latest builds of Windows 8.1 (Codename Blue)

 

The common train of thought is that they will re-instroduce the Start button, but that it will still give the full screen Metro Start Screen.

[FN-GM]

Only had a quick scan, what is actually going to change?

[Gatt]

We don't know - as I've said there is no confirmed announcement

 

I've seen a few screenshots and rumours of a start button reappearence

I did briefly see a "Proxies" setting within the Metro Control Panel, but that's all I know

[Arthur]

The common train of thought is that they will reintroduce the Start button, but that it will still give the full screen Metro Start Screen.

^ This (although there are two Start buttons in Windows 8 already).

 

http://i.imgur.com/LneFpKU.png

 

http://i.imgur.com/7toznPH.png

 

Only had a quick scan, what is actually going to change?

 

Although Windows 8.1 has been spotted in a number of leaked builds recently, Reller says Blue is simply an "internal name" and that the company isn't yet discussing exact naming, pricing, and packaging details. All of those details will be revealed by the end of the month she says, well ahead of Microsoft's Build developer conference in June. "Blue is an update," says Reller. "That's a good way to describe it, that's a good way to think about it." It's an update to Windows 8 that Microsoft is focusing on three key areas with: the touch vision, addressing feedback and new form factors. (Source)

[Gatt]

I think the key words here are "Addressing Feedback" - this is what people are jumping on and combining rumours and general dislike for the OS together to come up with the story in the OP

 

We will need to wait and see what is in the CP around June/July.

 

there is also a great deal of debate about whether this is an update / service pack or a new OS (it has been sen with a kernel version of 6.3)

 

As for the start buttons - yeah it has two, but they aren't visible, and this is wha is annoying people -they want it there on their desktop, not have to hover over a hotspot with a mouse.

 

personally, I don't mind the lack of a SB, the full screen metro is a bit annoying on a desktop / laptop - but its usable.

 

I downgraded back to Win7at the weekend not cos of all this, but because it is a nightmare with proxy servers and metro apps.

Edited May 7, 2013 by Gatt

[Gatt]

BTw, This thread has some of the leaked screenshots:

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/windows-8/110884-windows-blue-leaks-online-includes-new-live-tiles-snap-views-ie11.html

[Arthur]

it will still give the full screen Metro Start Screen.

Just spotted this...

 

In addition to stating that Windows 8.1 will be available at BUILD, Larson-Green also talked briefly about the Start menu, saying that it would not be returning. (Source)

 

they want it there on their desktop

Hopefully Microsoft include an option to show and hide the Start button. Everyone will be happy then.

 

not have to hover over a hotspot with a mouse.

It's a shame more people don't realise that they can simply move the mouse to the bottom left corner and click to open the Start Screen/Menu without even looking (just like in every single version of Windows since 95). What has everyone been doing for the last 18 years?