RETURN OF THE START BUTTON - THANKS MICROSOFT

[tech_guy]

BBC News - Microsoft 'U-turn' sees Start button back on Windows 8

[gshaw]

It's not really the Start button though is it, just an additional graphic taking you back to the Metro Start screen, must've took a lot of effort to implement

 

Still means you have to go full screen to launch an app unless you want your entire taskbar littered with icons. Funny thing is I don't mind the rest of Win8 and don't actually hate the Start screen as a first point of contact at boot - just don't like being distracted while working in desktop apps.

[old_n07]

if it's just going to be a link to the metro interface I can't see the point in bringing it back really, I've got used to life without it to the point where I don't use it on my windows 7 machines now - I just use the windows key

 

Booting the machine straight to desktop on the other hand will be of use as i only use metro as a glorified start menu anyway.

[Arthur]

I can't see the point in bringing it back really

Isn't it what "everyone" wanted?

 

Booting the machine straight to desktop on the other hand will be of use

I wonder how many people will boot to the desktop and straight away click the new Start button to open the Start Screen? Effectively doing what Windows 8.0 did for you automatically on login.

[gshaw]

Wanted a Start button that has at least some of the functionality of the Win7 one so while in desktop mode you don't need full screen Metro in your face.

 

This implementation will help the absolute beginners who didn't know the Windows key but maybe not the desktop mode diehards.

[3s-gtech]

I'd like a Start button (opening the Modern UI interface is okay I guess) but also some mouse driven replacements for the charms, so actual clickable buttons somewhere easy from the desktop. Moving across to the top right for accessing the system properties quickly on a server does my nut.

[Arthur]

Moving across to the top right for accessing the system properties quickly on a server does my nut.

Why not use the Win + X menu? Just right-click in the bottom left corner or press the Windows key + X.

 

http://i.imgur.com/BxGJhj4.png

[Fazza]

Whether we like it or not, the Modern UI (formerly known as Metro) is the future and whether or not it has a Start button to activate it is neither here nor there as the most likely thing that will happen with the next Windows client OS is that the Desktop will disappear completely. Nobody likes change so we can either embrace it or live in the past.

[Arthur]

It's not really the Start button though is it

Microsoft are calling it the "Start Tip". It can't be removed which means you have room for one less icon on the taskbar compared to Windows 8.0.

 

Microsoft is simply bringing back a Start button that will be enabled by default in Windows 8.1 and works across the desktop mode and Start Screen. Although it won't always be visible in Windows 8-style applications, if you hover over the lower left-hand corner it will appear just like the traditional button used in Windows for years. It's not an optional element either, Windows 8.1 users will not be able to disable the new Start button. (Source)

 

We've improved the way you navigate to Start with the mouse by changing the Start "tip" to be the familiar Windows logo. The new tip appears anytime you move the mouse to the bottom left corner of the screen and is always visible on the taskbar when on the desktop. There are also options to change what the corners do, and options to boot into alternate screens. For example, if you prefer to see the Apps view versus all the tiles, you can choose to have the Start screen go directly to Apps view. (Source)

[EduTech]

Microsoft are calling it the "Start Tip". It can't be removed which means you have room for one less icon on the taskbar compared to Windows 8.0.

 

I think they should have just continued to stick without any kind of button to be honest! I know I'm speaking for myself and probably not many others but I very rarely even enter into the Metro UI everything I need to do is via Windows Key > Type (search) > Enter or CTRL+X or it's pinned to the task bar for quick access.

 

Now I loose one less icon!! :-) Mean!! I'm going to kick up a fuss about that. haha!

 

I'm sorry, I just cannot come to terms with why people fail to see the problem to be honest I'm yet to come across someone who can't work with it, especially once they realise how quick it is when you use Windows Key > Search... In fact I had the same questions today when working with a group of people and as soon as I showed them how I use it, they were like oh? that's not so bad then once you get used to it.. and they smiled! :-)

 

WinKey + X = Admin Tools

WinKey + C = Charms Bar (for you RDP people that complain!) ;-)

WinKey > Type = Easy access to apps

 

shall I continue?

Edited May 30, 2013 by EduTech

[Fazza]

I know I'm speaking for myself and probably not many others but I very rarely even enter into the Metro UI everything I need to do is via Windows Key > Type (search) > Enter or CTRL+X or it's pinned to the task bar

 

The first thing I do is go to the desktop and do exactly what you do! Don't really use the Modern UI much as after installing lots of program's it gets very, very messy.

[Gatt]

Why get rid of a perfectly good start menu like the one in Windows 7?

 

I still hold that the Modern UI should have ONLY been available to those with a touchscreen devices - specifically a Surface or a Tablet device and a traditional UI for PCs/Desktops - and more importantly Server! Why on earth did Microsoft think that the Modern UI was suitable for a Server environment?

 

All these fancy hotspots are all nicey nice, but they are not practical when limited to a 1x1 pixel in the corner of the screen - this makes RDP sessions to a Windwos 8 / 2012 device a bloomin' nightmare!

 

At least Apple and Linux (KDE and Gnome) gave you a good sized hotspot that fades in when you get near to it, then fades away when not.

The Charms Bar and Start Screen whateveritscalled are completely hidden unless the user moves their cursor aimlessly around the screen. They also get in the way when you try and close a window, or open the first icon on the taskbar!

 

It's rare that I do not embrace new software - especially Windows! I used ME and Vista during beta and even when they RTM'd. ME didn't last too long because it was unstable and a lot of stuff didn't work.

 

Windows 8 however, I didn't even like during Beta. I still gave it a shot and installed it and used it and got used to the new way of working, but it was still a bad user experience. The final nail in the coffin for it however, was when I discovered that Metro Apps DO NOT work behind proxies - by design!! I had installed it for my son on his laptop and he did like being able to get games down from the store (free games mind!)..

Then I put a proxy in and it all stopped - Virtually every app failed to work or had an issue when behind the proxy..

 

So Windows 8 came off and Windows 7 went back on.. and there Windows 7 shall stay for the time being...

[mattx]

I was waiting for this update but as MS have basically ignored what everyone has been screaming for [ proper Start Button ] then I'm dumping the Win 8 I currently have on the family laptop downstairs.

This will be done as soon as I'm back in old blighty - when ever that is. When accessing it from a hotel / office using Team Viewer I end up shouting at it. And yes I know there are free versions of the start button but why can't we simply have an option to turn it off or on ?

[EduTech]

:-)

 

Windows 8 Has Ruined My Life

[mattx]

:-)

 

Windows 8 Has Ruined My Life

 

All nice and fine for him but what about a choice of having a start button and a choice of not having a start button. Oh and how about a choice of having pull down menus or a Ribbon ?

I've had to move to Office 2010 and boy that sucks balls, Outlook = click, click, click click, where is that feature gone ? Click, scroll down, click, click click.....

Would not mind but would like a choice.....

[Gatt]

I actually prefer the ribbon to Pull down menus..

But i definitely agree that there should have been a choice between Metro Start and "classic" (aka Windows 7) Start Menu's

 

Windows XP had a separate Tablet Edition - why couldn't they have done the same with Windows 8?

In fact Windows 7 installed the Tablet components automatically if it detected Touchscreen or tablet hardware...

 

They have really have shot themselves in the foot - its worse than ME and Vista combined in terms of user negativity..

[mattx]

I actually prefer the ribbon to Pull down menus..

But i definitely agree that there should have been a choice between Metro Start and "classic" (aka Windows 7) Start Menu's

 

Windows XP had a separate Tablet Edition - why couldn't they have done the same with Windows 8?

In fact Windows 7 installed the Tablet components automatically if it detected Touchscreen or tablet hardware...

 

They have really have shot themselves in the foot - its worse than ME and Vista combined in terms of user negativity..

 

Thats a good point, when you install Windows 7 on a laptop, it installs the extra features only a laptop would need as it detects you are using a laptop !![ you can hack it so you get these on a workstation ] So this is the correct method and one which MS should have kept for Windows 8. Installing it on a workstation or non-touch device ? Have a start button or at least pop up a choice of it and or booting into the desktop.....

Seems like MS have really shot themselves in the foot. Steven Sinofsky should have stopped being all arty farty and concentrated more on what made them big to start with. Desktop and business users.

[Arthur]

Have a start button or at least pop up a choice of it and or booting into the desktop.....

Windows 8.1 has a Start button and can boot to the desktop, so you can stop complaining now.

 

One of the best things about the Start Screen are the live tiles that update themselves with information from the Internet. All you get with Windows 7's Start Menu are tiny static icons.

 

The following is just a hypothetical example Matt, but let's say you wanted to find out if your train to work was on time, what the weather was like in London, your internal and external IP addresses and how many Nectar points you had.

 

To find out all of this information in Windows 7 would take several minutes and require you to visit at least four different websites and run ipconfig from the Command Prompt (or go to the Network and Sharing Center and check the properties of your NIC).

 

In Windows 8, you would check your Start Screen and look at the live tiles of the relevant apps. Total time spent: a few seconds!

 

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

[mattx]

Nothing more than eye candy. Just give me a desktop with a start button and none of this stupid touch crap.

Fine if you want to waste your time pinching and swiping but no good to someone who is looking after 24 subnets globally. MS were shitting bricks they were falling behind the likes of apple and their pad etc and they what they come up with is a half baked piece of shite whislt forgetting their core users. If it's so good then why are millions of users complaining and why are the sales of it so bad ? Even the dedicated hardware they are selling is terrible. I think one paper called it Microsoft's 'New Coke' moment. I agree with that statement.

 

Windows 8.1 has a Start button and can boot to the desktop, so you can stop complaining now.

 

One of the best things about the Start Screen are the live tiles that update themselves with information from the Internet. All you get with Windows 7's Start Menu are tiny static icons.

 

The following is just a hypothetical example Matt, but let's say you wanted to find out if your train to work was on time, what the weather was like in London, your internal and external IP addresses and how many Nectar points you had.

 

To find out all of this information in Windows 7 would take several minutes and require you to visit at least four different websites and run ipconfig from the Command Prompt (or go to the Network and Sharing Center and check the properties of your NIC).

 

In Windows 8, you would check your Start Screen and look at the live tiles of the relevant apps. Total time spent: a few seconds!

 

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

[Arthur]

Nothing more than eye candy. Just give me a desktop with a start button and none of this stupid touch crap.

My Windows 8 PC is connected to a 27" non-touchscreen LCD (which it also shares with a Mac). I manage to cope just fine with my mouse and keyboard. Where do you get the idea that you have to use a touchscreen or use Metro apps?

 

why are the sales of it so bad?

100 million licenses sold so far is "bad"? Yes, many of them will be downgraded but that applies to every version of Windows so far. Many businesses downgraded W7 licenses to XP!

 

Even the dedicated hardware they are selling is terrible.

First versions usually are. Just look at most Apple hardware. There are always issues with rev. 1.

[sted]

Windows 8.1 has a Start button and can boot to the desktop, so you can stop complaining now.

 

One of the best things about the Start Screen are the live tiles that update themselves with information from the Internet. All you get with Windows 7's Start Menu are tiny static icons.

 

The following is just a hypothetical example Matt, but let's say you wanted to find out if your train to work was on time, what the weather was like in London, your internal and external IP addresses and how many Nectar points you had.

 

To find out all of this information in Windows 7 would take several minutes and require you to visit at least four different websites and run ipconfig from the Command Prompt (or go to the Network and Sharing Center and check the properties of your NIC).

 

In Windows 8, you would check your Start Screen and look at the live tiles of the relevant apps. Total time spent: a few seconds!

 

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

 

you could do all that with gadgets

[gshaw]

One of the best things about the Start Screen are the live tiles that update themselves with information from the Internet. All you get with Windows 7's Start Menu are tiny static icons.

 

Tbh I turn 90% of the default live tiles off as I find the constant movement irritating, the one that would be most useful (Outlook) still isn't a live tile which is a shame being a 2013 line product.

 

Start screen is OK for launching programs, don't mind it in that respect but I had this scenario yesterday while I was working on a lab setup of Server 2012 on Win8 Hyper-V...

 

Wanted to re-open my notepad doc to add some config details...

 

Click back to the Start screen to run notepad or use Win+R manually

File menu,

Open

Navigate to folder

Open file

 

On Win7...

 

Start, move to pinned Notepad item

Swish across to the jump list, click

 

I know from the stats you posted on a link only about 2% of Win7 users had the foresight to do the jump list on the Start Menu but it really slows me down not being there in Win8 (I tend to work on lots of different documents at once and need to close / open quickly and easily)

[Arthur]

Wanted to re-open my notepad doc to add some config details...

This is what I would do.

 

1. Start Screen » Type 'no' for Notepad » Press Enter
    
   http://i.imgur.com/yy36Cwt.png
    
    
   
2. Right-click the Notepad icon on the taskbar, select the document you want to open from the list of recent documents. If you are always opening the same set of files each time, click the Pin icon next to the filenames and they will always be pinned to the top of the Jump List.
    
   http://i.imgur.com/uIQBOe6.png
    
   Btw, if you install Notepad2-mod, you could also click the Recent History menu. I install this program on every PC I use because it has tons of useful features that the regular Notepad lacks (e.g. syntax highlighting, code folding, line numbers, text sorting, duplicate/empty line removal etc.)
    
   http://i.imgur.com/TB2UFDv.png

 

 

or

 

 

 

1. Start Screen » Type 'sub' for Sublime Text » Press Enter // or click the Sublime Text icon on the Taskbar.
    
   http://i.imgur.com/uwcFWM2.png http://i.imgur.com/oGVaGjL.png
    
    
   
3. Sublime Text opens all of the documents I had been working on previously (a huge time saver!). The open source Notepad++ has the same feature too.
    
   Alternatively use the Open Recent menu.
    
   http://i.imgur.com/WgWS05j.png

If you are regularly working with many different text files and scripts, I would highly recommend using a text editor with more features (like the ones mentioned above). With a few minor changes to your workflow, you will be much happier.

[ConradJones]

i use notepad ++ for the same reasons

[EduTech]

What's new for the enterprise in Windows 8.1 :-)

 

What