The correct way to use Windows 8 Start Screen (PC users)


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Here is the correct way to use the Windows 8 Start Screen. This is a screen shot of my Win 8 Pro Start Screen. I unpinned all the tablet suited apps and pinned ALL the desktop apps to make it like the old start menu! If you are a 100% desktop user like me, this is the way to go!

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This is precisely why I went back to the Start Menu via Start8.

I have 100's of programs, and I put most on my Start Screen when I upgraded last November. Well, trying to locate them turned into a major headache. They all looked the same, and sliding back and forth was a pain in the #$@&^.

For the programs I use a lot, the (always) visible desktop taskbar is superior, and for the programs I only use occasionally, the fold-out alphabetical start menu works best.

For me, at least, the Modern UI remains bush league for serious complex computing.

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foJJCqs.png?1

Haven't we been here before? Didn't we make fun of every desktop we saw looking like this?

EDIT: We didn't have to have every icon in a HUGE touch screen square either... and still had access to a real start menu.

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Meh. Your way may be "correct" for you, but not for everyone.

I have all of the programs I use directly on the desktop. Other than at startup, I never see the Start Screen. Why in sam hell should I go back and forth to the Start Screen to open programs?

Anyway, to each their own.

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OK, That's exactly NOT how to use the start page, did you forget about how you can just type in the name of any application and then press enter, hell, you can even type in the first 2 letters and they'll come up so what is the point of pinning every little thing you'll use, like, once every year in the start page?

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I agree with grapeman and DavidM. The Start Screen needs to have a way to collapse / expand groups or something like that. Something that the OS X Launchpad feature does very well.

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I do not use Launchpad (I quickly made that group to demonstrate it), but something like those collapseable / expandable regions needs to be implemented in the Start Screen. I also use many many programs. Pinning them all to the start screen would be a nightmare.

OK, That's exactly NOT how to use the start page, did you forget about how you can just type in the name of any application and then press enter, hell, you can even type in the first 2 letters and they'll come up so what is the point of pinning every little thing you'll use, like, once every year in the start page?

Rule #1 in making User Interfaced: DO not make things hidden to the user. Do you realize how many people see me working in Windows 8 where I do this, and they say "How the hell did you bring up search?!". Other than us tech geeks and people who google search, users do not know you can do this. They knew about it when you had the search box visible in the Start Menu.

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OK, That's exactly NOT how to use the start page, did you forget about how you can just type in the name of any application and then press enter, hell, you can even type in the first 2 letters and they'll come up so what is the point of pinning every little thing you'll use, like, once every year in the start page?

Nope, this is the correct way, beacuse you have all the programs right there instantly! That is the most moronic thing i have ever heard, having to search for a progam to launch it, omg. I use alot of these programs almost everyday. Why would you have to type in a program every time you want to launch it, when you can have all the programs pinned right in front of you. Typing in a program equals a loss in productivity and takes more time. I assume you never used windows ever!

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The correct way to use the start screen, is to use it the way that suit's YOU as an individual the most. Simple.

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Or you could use it how it works for you..

I mainly have things there for quick display of info, or things I might need to click to save digging through stuff >.<

SS8_zpsa83db7c6.png

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I agree with grapeman and DavidM. The Start Screen needs to have a way to collapse / expand groups or something like that. Something that the OS X Launchpad feature does very well.

post-249286-0-61414600-1367165157.png

I do not use Launchpad (I quickly made that group to demonstrate it), but something like those collapseable / expandable regions needs to be implemented in the Start Screen. I also use many many programs. Pinning them all to the start screen would be a nightmare.

I think that's what semantic zoom is for. Zoom out, find your group, click it, and click the desired item. It's the same as having a lot of folders, where the user will flip around the "pages", find the right folder, click to expand that folder, then click the desired item. The zoom suffers in not being able to show as many groups at the same time as say the typical iOS page. But I think the way the zoom is handled is a lot more natural. The user doesn't have to press and hold an icon, hold it at the edge of a screen, wait for the "page" to flip, and then keep doing this until the desired page is reached, etc. With the zoom they just drag out the tile, then scroll directly to the group they want.

It's much faster, but people are just used to the iOS style of a ton of folders. If more people were taught about grouping in the start menu, I'm sure they'd find it superior. Of course, the fact that it's so undiscoverable on the Start screen is another flaw.

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post-455563-0-92562200-1367163789.jpg

That's a funny selection of commonly used applications. Why do you need regular access to things like Windows Defender or Windows Fax and Scan? Isn't it faster to type WIN+R to open Run or WIN+E for Explorer than to find an icon on the Start Screen? I don't have a problem with the principle behind your post but that screenshot is a bit weird.

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Here is the correct way to use the Windows 8 Start Screen. This is a screen shot of my Win 8 Pro Start Screen. I unpinned all the tablet suited apps and pinned ALL the desktop apps to make it like the old start menu! If you are a 100% desktop user like me, this is the way to go!

How very self absorbed of you.

The correct way to use the start screen, is to use it the way that suit's YOU as an individual the most. Simple.

^^^ Total sense, listen to him.

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Nope, this is the correct way, beacuse you have all the programs right there instantly! That is the most moronic thing i have ever heard, having to search for a progam to launch it, omg. I use alot of these programs almost everyday. Why would you have to type in a program every time you want to launch it, when you can have all the programs pinned right in front of you. Typing in a program equals a loss in productivity and takes more time. I assume you never used windows ever!

Not sure if you're being serious. Typing in the first couple letters of an app and pressing enter is incredibly faster. My most commonly used apps I have pinned to the taskbar and everything else I just use search. You don't have to type in the whole name, just the first couple characters and windows will find it.

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The correct way to use the start screen, is to use it the way that suit's YOU as an individual the most. Simple.

This is the truth. Everyone is different, and uses different software. Pin your most used to the startscreen/taskbar/desktop whichever you wish to use.

Personally, I use a mixture of start screen and desktop.

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Not sure if you're being serious. Typing in the first couple letters of an app and pressing enter is incredibly faster. My most commonly used apps I have pinned to the taskbar and everything else I just use search. You don't have to type in the whole name, just the first couple characters and windows will find it.

I agree with this one. It's so much more productive to use "windows key, type and enter". Now that may sound like a lot of steps to just launch an app or program. But it's comparably far more effective than clicking the start screen and look for the tile and click it. Even on Windows 7 this way of launching programs is more effective than clicking through the start menu.

But when I think about it, people who prefers to keep their hands on the mouse likely won't agree with this approach. Oh, well.

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I just love seeing how lcbwtver, formerly a staunch advocate of the old ways, XP or whatever they be, has all too suddenly turned 540 degrees, but preaching his baptism with the same ferocity and aura of holy righteousness. Things like that don't happen on their own, if you ask me. There's a fruitcake on that Start menu.

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It's kinda funny people talk how horrible the Start Screen is and demand the Start Menu back, but just look at how many different Start Screens you have here.

Personalization for fast application access, the Start Menu really just works like the "All Apps" part of the Start Menu.

You guys that love the Start Menu are so full of crap.

I just love seeing how lcbwtver, formerly a staunch advocate of the old ways, XP or whatever they be, has all too suddenly turned 540 degrees, but preaching his baptism with the same ferocity and self-righteousness. Things like that don't happen on their own, if you ask me. There's a fruitcake on that Start menu.

It's like when someone tries something for real and ends up loving it! Weird, right?

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The issue I have with the Start Screen (other than hideous an unnecessary) is that I put shortcuts to files on my desktop, not program shortcuts. If the start screen also included Jump lists with those icons, it may be a little better. Otherwise, I'll stick with FENCES. I use the start menu maybe once or twice a day, which is another reason why I don't need the start screen in my face all the time.

Sticking with WIN7. WIN8 installed, but not using it. Will wait to see what happens with WIN8.1.

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It's like when someone tries something for real and ends up loving it! Weird, right?

It's ok to like it. Or love, whatever that is. It's totally not ok to not read the thread, to hear only what you want to hear, to advocate the only way in a way that even Windows 8 loving supporters consider distasteful and inappropriate. But - I realize my mistake one post too late - here we go again. There's a fruitcake on every menu today.

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