Recommended Posts

if all you did with the start menu is to open it and search your computer then i dont understand your problem.

either click in the lower left corner and just start typing for a search, or press windows key and start typing. not really that hard :-S

metro apps suck imo, they take way to long to load and i dont use them expect the skype and leo app. especially leo is great if snapped to the side of the monitor if you need to do some frequent translations.

As for the start screen, my frequently used applications are pinned to it and i find it alot easier to get to them then in windows 7 or before

It does take some time to get used to using. I only used it off and on since March, but since it was officially released I've used to constantly on my desktop and overall it has been a pleasure to use. Once you "force" yourself to do more with the Modern UI, you find out how easy it is to use. There are some things I still need to do on the desktop, but that should change as better apps are released.

I was concerned if MS made the right move, but after using it regularly, that is a definite yes.

No start8 here, that's going back to the past, but Decor8 is an awesome program.

I don't see why so many people have a hard time with this. It took me all of about 30 seconds to get used to it. You still move to the bottom left, you still click something that says "Start", just instead of it being desktop + start, the start fills your screen. IMO, this is actually better because you can see MORE apps on the screen.

The only area of contention is the metro tiles, im getting used to them, but other than that 8 is so much better for me that I hate using 7 on my work laptop. If it takes you more than 5- 10 minutes to get used to 8, you probably are too old to grasp new things...

That's what I don't understand, Microsoft.

Why not give users who shelled out their own hard-earned money for Windows 8, a choice -- Metro or the 'classic' Start button ?

'Different' is not always better.

Because the start menu was an outdated part of the operating system. https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1081755-do-you-like-or-hate-windows-8/page__view__findpost__p__595048551

As for the thread starter, I wouldn't bother with a start menu replacement. Just use the start page, for me it works almost identical to the start menu. I open it (usually using the start button on my keyboard) and start typing to launch a program. I don't use many metro apps and don't bother with the live tiles.

How much time it took you to adjust to windows 8?

not possible

That's what I don't understand, Microsoft.

Why not give users who shelled out their own hard-earned money for Windows 8, a choice -- Metro or the 'classic' Start button ?

'Different' is not always better.

excactly if windows 8 had a start menu and users had a choice, it would have a lot more positive launch.

About 5 minutes, the only time I used the start menu was to open explorer (which I now do on Windows 8 using Win + E) and starting an app via Win -> Type -> Enter (which can still be done on Windows 8). I never use metro apps though.

I've been using it for a week now and I still feel pretty much lost.

I miss the start menu! All I did there is used the search and click My Computer but I keep going to the corner of the screen searching for it.

Metro is ..idk, not for me. Why the apps takes a few seconds to load? Sure, every application we use takes a few seconds to load but with metro the stupid splash screen stops me from doing any thing else. It's like metro takes me to a completely other place in windows with its full screen etc' and i don't like it. Makes me feel disconnected.

This is hilarious. The first two pages of replies to this post were people giving alternatives to what Windows 8 really is, or ways to get around the Start Screen. And yet on other areas of the forum if you say something bad about Windows 8, you'll get absolutely railed. I'm posting this from a Win8 PC, which i mostly dislike. But I'm like the OP: It still just doesn't seem like any improvement (except for faster boot times, perhaps)

Because the start menu was an outdated part of the operating system. http://www.neowin.ne...t__p__595048551

I'm not starting a flame war or mentioning the start menu but by your logic it's time to get rid of cars becuase they're an outdated part of travel. And graphics because they're an outdated part of seeing things. Heck, let's get rid of toilets because they're an outdated part of everyday life.

I'm not starting a flame war or mentioning the start menu but by your logic it's time to get rid of cars becuase they're an outdated part of travel. And graphics because they're an outdated part of seeing things. Heck, let's get rid of toilets because they're an outdated part of everyday life.

The toilets and cars analogies don't work for me.

As for the start menu being outdated did you read the link I posted? Basically said the start menu was so outdated that it wasn't compatible with recent technologies that they wanted in Win 8.

And yet, with all the technological difficulties, they managed to put it in the preview but not in the RTM ?

The start menu wasn't in the preview, the code for the start menu was still available as you can't just remove something like the start menu without major testing which is why you were able to apply a hack to get it back.

And yet, with all the technological difficulties, they managed to put it in the preview but not in the RTM ?

You said it wrong.. They hadn't removed it fully in the preview. It completely reverted the entire Explorer shell to put the start bar back. You lost single dialogue copy, ribboned browsing etc etc.

You didn't just bring back the start bar, you brought back the entire older shell.

The toilets and cars analogies don't work for me.

As for the start menu being outdated did you read the link I posted? Basically said the start menu was so outdated that it wasn't compatible with recent technologies that they wanted in Win 8.

haha, and yet all the start menu replacements apps proof excact opositive, start menu can and does work great, truth is MS wants to force millions of people to use their pathetic app store, force them to use tablet/phone apps, force them to get used to square metro interface in hopes that more people will buy their insignifican phone platform that has only 5-6% market share.

Don't care if it has a start button or not, it still will not replace Windows 7 till MS fix the issues.

I am finding Windows 8 a very broken OS for mouse and keyboard use.

Unsupported file formats, having to resort to the command line to make network links just to be able to play music and then have it fail .Along with a few other things.

Has the feeling of a console with an OS running in the background, this needs to be reversed.

Not as much as a disaster as expected but still a major headache.

I'm not stressing I'll continue to dual boot till I'm happy to switch permanently.

I am finding Windows 8 a very broken OS for mouse and keyboard use.

Unsupported file formats, having to resort to the command line to make network links just to be able to play music and then have it fail .Along with a few other things.

Mouse and keyboard use works just the same as within all previous Windows releases, same goes for file formats, there is no compatibility lost when it comes to what is supported.... So I'm not exactly sure why you would be having any issues...

haha, and yet all the start menu replacements apps proof excact opositive, start menu can and does work great, truth is MS wants to force millions of people to use their pathetic app store, force them to use tablet/phone apps, force them to get used to square metro interface in hopes that more people will buy their insignifican phone platform that has only 5-6% market share.

When exactly did I say the start menu didn't work???

What I said was the start menu wasn't compatible with the newer technologies that MIcrosoft wanted to use.

Sure they could have kept the start menu and re-wrote it to be compatible but they wanted to use the same codebase on both their tablets and desktop which is why we've got the start page.

It works almost identically to the start menu for me, in both Windows 7 and Windows 8 I open them with the Windows key and start typing for the program I'm looking for and launch it using the arrow keys and enter.

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Posts

    • Flameshot 14.0 Final by Razvan Serea Flameshot is a free and open-source, cross-platform tool to take screenshots with many built-in features to save you time. Using Flameshot is as simple as launching, dragging the selection box to cover the area you want to capture, making annotations as needed in on-screen and saving the shot to your computer, all with a very simple and straightforward interface. Flameshot allows users to simply upload their screenshots directly to the cloud in order to easily share it with others. You can upload your image directly to Imgur with a single click and share the URL with others. In-app screenshot editing - You can choose to add an arrow mark, highlight text, blur a section (blur or pixelate an area), add a text, draw something, add a rectangular/circular shaped border, add an incrementing counter number, and add a solid color box with Flameshot's built-in editing tools. Command-line interface (CLI) - Flameshot has several commands you can use in the terminal without launching the GUI via a command line interface. The command line interface lets you script Flameshot and use it as the subject of key binds. Flameshot 14.0 release notes: This release brings major improvements to multi-monitor support, fractional scaling support, new capture workflows, and a long list of bug fixes across all platforms. Changelog: New Multi-Monitor Capture Workflow New monitor selection screen before capture for better multi-monitor and mixed-scaling support. Option to auto-capture the monitor under the cursor (X11 & Windows). Tray menu can directly select a monitor. Linux Improvements XDG Desktop Portal is now the primary screenshot method. Added legacy X11 fallback option for minimal window managers. New D-Bus capture API for scripting and automation. Windows Enhancements Global screenshot hotkeys now supported (not limited to Print Screen). New portable mode stores settings next to the executable. Clipboard now always uses PNG format for better compatibility. CLI & Platform Updates Redesigned flameshot screen command with per-monitor capture support. Added native Nix Flake support. More compact launcher UI and improved update notifications. Major Fixes Multiple Wayland stability fixes, including KDE Plasma crash fixes. Clipboard compatibility improvements for GNOME, Wayland, X11, Windows, and macOS. Fixed D-Bus hangs, capture crashes, and HiDPI region issues. Other Changes Dropped Ubuntu 20.04 (Focal) support. Updated translations and build infrastructure. Intel macOS builds are no longer provided. [full release notes] Download: Flameshot 14.0 | 18.1 MB (Open Source) Download: Flameshot Portable | 53.0 MB Links: Flameshot Home Page | Screenshot Get alerted to all of our Software updates on Twitter at @NeowinSoftware
    • Helium Browser 0.13.4.1 by Razvan Serea Helium is a private, fast, and honest Chromium-based web browser — built for people, with love. It offers the best privacy by default, unbiased ad-blocking, and a clean experience free from bloat and noise. Proudly based on Ungoogled-Chromium, Helium removes Google’s clutter while keeping a fast, efficient development pipeline. With thoughtful touches like native !bangs and split view, Helium is a people-first, fully open-source browser that puts control back in your hands. Privacy, security, and control come first. Ads, trackers, and third-party cookies are blocked automatically, HTTPS is enforced everywhere, and all Chromium extensions work seamlessly — while Google can’t track your activity. Helium’s 13,000+ offline-ready !bangs let you jump straight to sites or AI tools like ChatGPT instantly. Open-source, people-first, and unbiased, Helium delivers a browsing experience that’s fast, secure, and free from noise, ads, and compromises. Helium Browser key features: Performance Fast, efficient, and lightweight — built on Chromium’s optimized engine. Energy-saving and consistent — stays fast over time without slowing down. No bloat — stripped of unnecessary components for maximum speed. Minimalist interface — compact, clean, and distraction-free. Customizable toolbar — hide elements you don’t need. Smooth and stable — no flicker, lag, or animation glitches. Comfort-focused experience — intuitive and unobtrusive. Privacy & Security Best privacy by default — blocks ads, trackers, phishing, and third-party cookies. Unbiased ad-blocking — powered by community filters and uBlock Origin. No telemetry or analytics — zero background web requests on first launch. Strict HTTPS enforcement — warns for insecure sites. Passkeys supported — modern authentication made simple. No built-in password manager or cloud sync — your data stays yours. Extension Compatibility Full Chromium extension support — including MV2 extensions. Anonymized Chrome Web Store requests — Google can’t track extension installs. Extended MV2 support — maintained for as long as possible. Smart Features Native !bangs — browse faster using 13,000+ offline-ready shortcuts. AI integration — use !chatgpt and others directly from the address bar. Offline functionality — bangs work without an Internet connection. Philosophy People-first design — open source, transparent, and community-driven. No ads, no noise, no bias — privacy and honesty over profit. Helium Browser 0.13.4.1 changelog: 0a4f1149 revision: bump to 4 (#1969) 4848de1f helium/core: enable the chromium screenshot feature (#1968) e0dec3f5 onboarding: integrate strings to i18n system (#1948) 417fa5bc i18n: fix newline parsing for onboarding 7a339b39 i18n: add foraged translations for onboarding 4f090cff i18n/generate: add handling for onboarding strings bfe48d58 i18n_apply: manually override parent grd logic for onboarding strings ab214e3c onboarding: bump in deps, wire up grdp afa6a059 helium/core: disable pdf infobar feature (#1965) eba585e7 helium/ui/vertical: fix new tab button alignment and icon size (#1964) 6ecfc9e0 helium/ui/tabs: fix horizontal tab hover background color (#1963) 3db87dc0 helium/ui/tabs: fix new tab button hover/press colors (#1962) 6bbdcc3e helium/ui: improve tab group UI in all layouts (#1961) 53deb314 helium/ui/tabs: enable tab group hover cards e93aece7 helium/ui/vertical: fix tab group appearance, prevent line overlap 629f5495 helium/ui/tabs: restore solid group header colors, enable new colors 961c962e helium/ui/tabs: move horiz tab group underline to bottom, make it thick c96deab6 merge: update to chromium 149.0.7827.155 (#1959) 36db56b4 i18n: update source.gen.json 5ce006ae patches: refresh for chromium 149.0.7827.155 b4c1ea62 merge: update ungoogled-chromium to 149.0.7827.155 4e5e8671 Update to Chromium 149.0.7827.155 08a3e7da helium/ui/layout: disable mute on collapsed vertical tabs (#1778) a0a5bbaf helium/core: simplify context menu and prevent huge widths (#1951) c4732aac devutils/i18n: add forage command (#1944) 11d16986 devutils/i18n: add an option to translate using local CLI tools (#1942) d820c3a2 i18n/prompt: tighten translation rules to prevent common errors (#1940) cf827007 Update to Chromium 149.0.7827.114 6e3d5164 Update to Chromium 149.0.7827.102 Download: Helium 64-bit | Portable 64-bit |~100.0 MB (Open Source) Download: Helium ARM64 | Portable ARM64 Links: Helium Home Page | macOS | Linux | Screenshot Get alerted to all of our Software updates on Twitter at @NeowinSoftware
  • Recent Achievements

    • Reacting Well
      BizSAR earned a badge
      Reacting Well
    • First Post
      AndreaB earned a badge
      First Post
    • Week One Done
      Huge Trailer earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Week One Done
      Classifyskilleducation earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • One Month Later
      eurospharma62 earned a badge
      One Month Later
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      579
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      183
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      75
    4. 4
      Michael Scrip
      73
    5. 5
      neufuse
      64
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!