Start8 brings the Start Menu back

[CentralDogma]

Adds option for WinKey to show fullscreen Metro desktop

Unless I'm missing something, that doesn't seem to be the case.

Edit: OK, looks like that's not an option for classic style menu. Definitely sticking with Classic Shell.

This version of Start8 is only intended as a Beta and will stop working on October 1, 2012.

That's unfortunate. Looks like I'll be sticking to Classic Shell until they finish.

[Buzz99]

Why not have the best of both worlds?

+1

[+Gary7 Subscriber²]

I see no reason to use Windows 8.

[Growled Member]

I may actually give it a try now. I was worried about not having a start menu but this program solves that worry.

[Raa]

Excellent news. I'd heard about it before for the CP/RP, glad it's working on RTM.

I might look into having Windows 8 for my desktop now! :D

[Unrealistic]

Well with this new version, my Windows 8 upgrade is now final. Now (as others have already said) I get the speed improvements of Windows 8, the features of Metro AND my jumplists! VMware Workstation is now usable again for me.

[Zoom7000]

Does anyone know if there is a way to disable the "Highlight newly installed programs"?

[Unrealistic]

Does anyone know if there is a way to disable the "Highlight newly installed programs"?

I'd like to know that and if there's a way to have more than 10 items pinned, like in Windows 7. I used to pin 20.

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

That's unfortunate. Looks like I'll be sticking to Classic Shell until they finish.

I believe all this means is once October 1st comes, they will be releasing a version you have to pay for, just as they did with Fences, a Stardock program which I personally love as although I do not have a ton on my desktop, I do keep some stuff, and Fences organizes anything on the desktop brilliantly.

I think I am one of the only people on Neowin who has yet to even install 8. I just plan on doing so when it is finally released. I like to be adventurous. :laugh:

[Chris123NT]

This program has now officially become awesome. Earlier versions were pointless as it was just "mini-metro". This is the only fully functional win 7 start menu for windows 8, especially if you look at the start search capabilities.

Ahh now I can type and actually have it search files or settings right there without me having to click the damn category every time.

[Darrian]

I liked Start8 before, but now I love it. Now they just need to let us customize it a bit. I desperately need to be able to add links to videos and downloads, as well as expand the control panel into a menu instead of a link to it, in order for this to feel truly complete. This is just brilliant, thank you Stardock (and I don't say that very often these days)!

[Arceles]

Lol, Windows 8 has suddenly made the very start menu immortal, thanks to 3rd party applications, the one that mimics it the best is Start8 right now, so much for trying to eliminate a legacy way to access program, their very arrogance to impose metro will pretty much allow the start menu to find its way through any windows thanks to this...

[Boo Berry]

Yeah, it's looking like you'll have to pay for Start8 come October, which is worth it. They'd sell me on it right now over Classic Shell if they port every single Customize Start Menu feature over from Windows 7, especially "Number of recent programs to display" and "Number of recent items to display in Jump Lists" where you can change the size (20 and 20 is fine) and the "Use large icons" toggle that Windows 7 has.

P.S. The only reason I'd need a start menu restored is a quick way to shutdown/restart the PC, instead of the hoops you have to jump through otherwise.

[Arceles]

Yeah, it's looking like you'll have to pay for Start8 come October, which is worth it. They'd sell me on it right now over Classic Shell if they port every single Customize Start Menu feature over from Windows 7, especially "Number of recent programs to display" and "Number of recent items to display in Jump Lists" where you can change the size (20 and 20 is fine) and the "Use large icons" toggle that Windows 7 has.

I pretty much would do the same, I can't believe how fast now fells navigate through windows 8... and just by this single program, impressive.

[abysal]

Yeah, it's looking like you'll have to pay for Start8 come October, which is worth it. They'd sell me on it right now over Classic Shell if they port every single Customize Start Menu feature over from Windows 7, especially "Number of recent programs to display" and "Number of recent items to display in Jump Lists" where you can change the size (20 and 20 is fine) and the "Use large icons" toggle that Windows 7 has.

P.S. The only reason I'd need a start menu restored is a quick way to shutdown/restart the PC, instead of the hoops you have to jump through otherwise.

Yep. I'd also like control panel settings items to be indexed for searching.

[Ottawa Gamerz]

man isnt nice to know how many people cant use windows without a start button.. people if u cant use 8 without a start button go back to 7

[Chris123NT]

man isnt nice to know how many people cant use windows without a start button.. people if u cant use 8 without a start button go back to 7

I have no problem with the BUTTON not being there, but I like the option to have a menu so i can quickly open something without taking focus off what I am working on. Windows 8 isn't all about Metro, there are many improvements on the desktop as well, and now having an app that lets you work on that desktop uninterrupted is a huge bonus.

[CentralDogma]

I believe all this means is once October 1st comes, they will be releasing a version you have to pay for, just as they did with Fences, a Stardock program which I personally love as although I do not have a ton on my desktop, I do keep some stuff, and Fences organizes anything on the desktop brilliantly.

I think I am one of the only people on Neowin who has yet to even install 8. I just plan on doing so when it is finally released. I like to be adventurous. :laugh:

Oh, I don't have 8 either. I tried it on the RC I have running on an old PC.

Start8 is nice, it fixes one of my main annoyances with Classic Shell: Classic Shell doesn't actually use the built in Windows list of frequently used programs, it creates it's own list from programs you open using Classic Shell. Start8 seems to use the built in list, which is nice.

But, I'm not willing to pay for just that, so I'll probably just stick with Classic Shell.

[bandit_liberty_rumble]

Windows 8 actually starts to feel like a sane operating system again once you've installed this, set it to go directly to the desktop (although that seems to work only intermittently?),enabled the classic style start menu, disabled Windows 8 hotspots and removed the Metro app file associations.

Plus, you still have the option to enter Metro-land whenever you feel so adventurous. And the hotspots continue to work fine in Metro (and make a lot more sense there). The Metro start screen will now be reserved purely for Metro apps.

[torrentthief]

I wish stardock would make a Win8 windows explorer for windows 7 but with added functionality such as tabs. A bit like with QTtabbar.

[bandit_liberty_rumble]

The search feature still needs a lot of improvement though. It doesn't find control panel items and the first result is often not what one would expect.

[Fraud OS 11]

This new Start8 beta is quite impressive. Beats Classic Shell in some key areas:

- Recent Jump lists (Classic Shell has unified Recent Items list)

- Launch Metro apps (Classic Shell lets you Shift+Winkey or Shift+click to go the Start screen to launch them)

- Highlighting newly installed apps (Classic Shell doesn't have this)

- Search (Start8's search still needs some work, but nevertheless, it searches apps and files, not settings, Classic Shell searches apps and settings, not files)

- Shows system MRU/MFU program list (Classic Shell uses its own MRU list)

Classic Shell has some catching up to do in some areas, in many areas like classic menu functionality, total customization, skinning, Explorer and IE fixes it's already far ahead. :)

[Mugwump00]

I was starting to get used to the Start Screen, but boy do I miss a MRU-apps and occasional-apps-with-jumplists menu. If MS has just ported those features over, I would denounce this as retro-nonsense, but as it is, my first 5 minutes are very pleasing.

Any word of the $$??s?

They need to sort out the awful old chroming of the Power-control button and user's image. Looks cheesey.

[Digitalfox]

Guys, Price?

Haven't they say more than once it will freeware always, only OEMs will have to pay to include it in their distributions.

[bandit_liberty_rumble]

Is there a utility to bring the shadows back as well? :p