Start8 Questions

By MorganX
in Microsoft (Windows)

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Grand Master

MorganX

Posted
Posted

For those who have tried Start8, apparently there are millions, when you search from the Start8 menu, can you right click and perform context actions on the search result?

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Grand Master

MorganX

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It's well worth the $4.99 - worked out at around ?3.20 for me.

I installed the trial. I'll buy it. I've been OK without the start menu, but just can't deal with Modern UI's clumsy search anymore. What a nice piece of software. Very well designed.

I don't care what anyone's usability tests show, Start8 makes Windows 8 better. Search efficiency has returned. It's nice to have Metro apps in the start menu, and I love the hold for half-second opens start page feature.

Nice to have browse Computer as menu from Start Menu back as well as Recorded TV. Windows 8 is highly recommended with Start8 for just about everyone. If you have a Windows Phone 8 you can use Windows Media Player classic for syncing everything, real syncing. Surface is still without hope. Unfortunately Zune doesn't support Windows Phone 8.

With Start8, I don't see why you would stay on Windows 7. No reason at all that I can see. $39.99 or $14.99 to MS, $4.99 to Stardock. Not bad at all.

Really nice piece of software.

PS: Though I'm in heaven to have start menu search back, there is one minor omission; when hovering over search results it does not show a tip with the location. Rarely needed, but definitely of value.

Community Regular

syobon999

Posted
Posted

Its a shame start8 gets all the attention, IMHO STartIsBack is the defacto windows 7 start menu to windows 8 and the only program i'm aware that introduces no extra load, all to render the start menu is from windows 8 itself, classic shell and pokki are anotherterrible example of bloat.

Guest xiphi

Posted
Posted

I prefer StartIsBack. Tried Start8 a few times, but even the most recent update it still loves to make my system sluggish after a while for no reason at all. StartIsBack has a free trial, as well. They're both good, but Start8 loses out due to performance issues.

Rookie

Oni Ray

Posted
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StartIsBack can do the same thing and is cheaper too.

Using SiB myself. For the uninitiated, it's the actual Windows 7 start menu that the developer Tihiy (Stanislav Zinukhov) has re-introduced to Win8 with a hook(?). Unlike Start 8, it's not a start menu replacement or emulator - it is the original Windows start menu itself a part of Microsoft's own code from Win 7. :D And since it's MS's own code, it works, feels and looks exactly as like the real deal - and that's 'cuz it is :)

Also, since it integrates itself into the core, it doesn't have any trailing processes or services. Doesn't schedule any tasks. Just loads a single extra dll to integrate into the explorer shell. So no performance lag or start screen flash at the start. I'll highly recommend to anyone who is dissatisfied with the Metro/Modern UI to give it a try (30 day full function trial) before settling on one solution or another :think:

Costs $3 for 2 PC's BTW. For 5 bucks, you can get a 5 PC license ($1 per PC). Not too shabby for the real McCoy, eh? :yes: Start is Back website - Softpedia review - Arstechnica review

EDIT: I'm liking it so much that I've become a bit of an evangelist :p

  • syobon999 and goretsky
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Grand Master

Fraud OS 11

Posted
Posted

classic shell and pokki are anotherterrible example of bloat.

Don't spread FUD about bloat. All Start Menu replacements inject themselves into Explorer.exe so it's the memory usage of Explorer.exe that you should be watching. The memory usage is identical. Not a problem on even any slower system. Not that StartIsBack is bad or anything, it's excellent. :D

Community Regular

syobon999

Posted
Posted

Don't spread FUD about bloat. All Start Menu replacements inject themselves into Explorer.exe so it's the memory usage of Explorer.exe that you should be watching. The memory usage is identical. Not a problem on even any slower system. Not that StartIsBack is bad or anything, it's excellent. :D

what i'm saying is that classic shell loads a service of its own and the code to the menus is entirely new, its bloated compared to StartIsBack, but not a bloat itself.

Mentor

YanksOnTop

Posted
Posted

Its a shame start8 gets all the attention, IMHO STartIsBack is the defacto windows 7 start menu to windows 8 and the only program i'm aware that introduces no extra load, all to render the start menu is from windows 8 itself, classic shell and pokki are anotherterrible example of bloat.

I used classic shell and it was always laggy on my system. I also tried start8 and wasnt really impressed either. I actually started to use Pokki yesterday and have had pretty good results. I feel its faster and doesnt look too bad either. Just my opinion. And Im not really sure what bloat your talking about. It does have apps that ou can load but its not really obtrusive. So far its the one thats worked the best for me.

Community Regular

syobon999

Posted
Posted

I used classic shell and it was always laggy on my system. I also tried start8 and wasnt really impressed either. I actually started to use Pokki yesterday and have had pretty good results. I feel its faster and doesnt look too bad either. Just my opinion. And Im not really sure what bloat your talking about. It does have apps that ou can load but its not really obtrusive. So far its the one thats worked the best for me.

look, I love Windows 8, its snappier and a more vivid experience than windows 7, everyone call feel this, but start menu is vital to me, i want something identical to windows 7 not more or less, more = bloat.

Rising Star

mzta cody

Posted
Posted

look, I love Windows 8, its snappier and a more vivid experience than windows 7, everyone call feel this, but start menu is vital to me, i want something identical to windows 7 not more or less, more = bloat.

Having used both, I can see what you're saying. I would also say that Start8 is very much a high quality product. However, StartIsBack has a certain essential "purity", for lack of a better word. Therefore, in the end, a bit more elegant of a solution than Start8.

  • syobon999 and Oni Ray
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Veteran

Colin.B

Posted
Posted

So I'm likely installing Windows 8 tomorrow...If I understand correctly StartisBack and Start8 don't really change the features of Windows 8 and isn't as drastic as running a custom ROM on my Android. They simply bring back the start menu?

Grand Master

Brandon H Supervisor

Posted
  • Supervisor
Posted

So I'm likely installing Windows 8 tomorrow...If I understand correctly StartisBack and Start8 don't really change the features of Windows 8 and isn't as drastic as running a custom ROM on my Android. They simply bring back the start menu?

you are correct
Grand Master

MorganX

Posted
  • Author
Posted

what i'm saying is that classic shell loads a service of its own and the code to the menus is entirely new, its bloated compared to StartIsBack, but not a bloat itself.

I have an i7 with 32GB RAM so if it is adding any load I'm not noticing it, plus I'm not in the Start menu "that" much. But when I am, it's much preferred tot he Start Page especially search. I also like all the options. I'd rather have this than just the regular Windows 7 Start menu. I have not tried the others you mentioned and I'm sure they are fine, but this is just very well made, feature filled, and does what I want. No performance or bloat issues but like I said, I wouldn't notice any minor issues anyway.

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