84 replies to this topic 7 votes

[Calum]

Thread cleaned, quite thoroughly

Please all stay on the topics of this actual utility, how it compares with other similar utilities etc. The topic of this thread is not about your views on the Start Screen or on Microsoft removing the Start Menu; it's merely about this utility. There are other threads that concern people's views about the removal of the Start Menu and the Start Screen replacing it.

Thank you

[Astra.Xtreme]

Awesome, this one actually looks better than Start8. I'm excited to try it out.

[Lord Method Man]

Looks good. I think the corners should be sharp though to be consistent with the Windows 8 UI.

[flexkeyboard]

Tihiy explains how Startisback works:

Quote

Now an explanation i owe you guys about 'very special magic'. There is still start menu code present in explorer.exe. Because it's shared with jump list code, it wasn't removed. Several shell interfaces were deprecated and removed alongside with some start menu code.
I reimplemented them (during Ex7forW8 development) and several parts of start menu, as well i had to reimplement start button, win key code and other things.
How hacky is this? Fortunately, a bit. It's not hackorama-all-over, just two private functions in explorer.exe i have to call. They're hardcoded in beta 0 so it works only with original RTM explorer.exe.
Future versions won't have them hardcoded so it will work with any explorer.exe version.

Q: Will Microsoft remove start menu code and break StartIsBack?
A: No, it's almost impossible since it's tied with jump list code and requires rearchitecting explorer.exe code, which they won't do until next Windows version.

Someone prior mentioned patching the memory process, it looks like that's what Tihiy is going to do.

And it also looks like this solution is going to be viable

[Tihiy]

StartIsBack beta 1 is up. Beta testers come on in... others hold back for a couple of versions.

[Scorbing]

Microsoft should give the user the option of using that Start Menu bottom on the OS. I think its very disrespectful of them to have disabled it completely and not allow the user any access to it.

[Arceles]

Well this program pretend to follow the same model of Stardock Start8.... beta free and then payment, to be honest I bought the start8 because it looks and works neat... but then again, I wonder what the other start menu is able to do.

Scorbing, on 15 October 2012 - 22:09, said:

Microsoft should give the user the option of using that Start Menu bottom on the OS. I think its very disrespectful of them to have disabled it completely and not allow the user any access to it.

This has a very nice solution, being disrespectful towards any metro apps

[Javik]

Andrea Borman, on 12 October 2012 - 05:19, said:

Oh it's that man with his silly software again. You remember him from another thread, where he provides the software, but he does not provide the files, so it does not work. See here-http://www.neowin.ne...-for-windows-8/

I took a look at that link. And he said in his post on the other forum that the software will not be free he is going to charge for it. And he said that it won't withstand Windows updates.

So just stick with Classic Shell or Start Menu 7 they are free to use. And they work. So I have already got my start button and Windows 7 start menu on my Windows 8. With Classic shell.. Andrea Borman.

It works, it's not his fault that you either don't understand or refuse to put in the effort.

[Nothing Here]

DDStriker, on 12 October 2012 - 11:18, said:

Why do your posts end with your name? you already have it in your signature
Also i'm not sure what you mean he has provided the files everything seems to be there and so what if he wants to make money of it? perhaps stop complaining and work to releasing something as well that benefits users it's much better than complaining all the time

Also devs should be paid for their time if they wish to release things for free that's great as well but we shouldn't complain if they wish to charge for their time don't be greedy

<snipped>

Might want to becareful with Andrea, DDStriker. You may end up being the next topic in one of her online vids. LMAO!

[LUTZIFER]

Personally I think the best way to have the start menu, transparency, etc. etc. is just stay with Windows 7.
I know I'm not downgrading to Windows 8 till MS themselves adds Windows 7 functionality back in it.
I sure wouldn't be paying for a program that will be broken every time you get Windows Updates, and we know damn well that'll happen.

[Dot Matrix]

Scorbing, on 15 October 2012 - 22:09, said:

Microsoft should give the user the option of using that Start Menu bottom on the OS. I think its very disrespectful of them to have disabled it completely and not allow the user any access to it.

Again, there were reasons for its removal.

[Colin McGregor]

YAY A start button for an OS that doesn't need a start button. SWEEEEEEEEEEEEET.

[Scorbing]

Dot Matrix, on 15 October 2012 - 22:50, said:

Again, there were reasons for its removal.

And what reasons are those other than to annoy the corporate environment and few others who actually used that Start button?

[Dot Matrix]

Scorbing, on 15 October 2012 - 23:05, said:

And what reasons are those other than to annoy the corporate environment and few others who actually used that Start button?

Ask the developers themselves.

http://www.neowin.ne...#entry595048551

The old Menu reached its end of life. There was no getting around that the launcher had to be re-designed.

[DDStriker]

Lakota Rising, on 15 October 2012 - 22:35, said:

Might want to becareful with Andrea, DDStriker. You may end up being the next topic in one of her online vids. LMAO!

Hah i could be a star?