win8 Microsoft Could Launch a Start Menu Option in Windows 8

[Colin McGregor]

Stopped reading at ?confusing? Start Screen. Anyone that can't use the new start screen needs to pack up the computer and move on to something less difficult like watching paint dry. The fact this is from a supposed tech site makes me even more worried.

[Detection]

For those saying none techy people will want/need start menu, iPad sales disagree with you

Most desktop PCs don't have a touch-screen, and iPad ? ? ? Are we talking about Macs or PCs here ?

[threetonesun]

Stopped reading at ?confusing? Start Screen. Anyone that can't use the new start screen needs to pack up the computer and move on to something less difficult like watching paint dry. The fact this is from a supposed tech site makes me even more worried.

But how will they know when it's dry?!?

[Xilo]

Guys. **** the damn menu. It doesn't need to be around anymore. The Start screen is more attractive and functional, and it totally destroys the entire purpose of re-imagining Windows. Does nobody think before they write, anymore?

No it's not.

[+DKAngel Subscriber²]

I think if you got 2 average joes, one who had never used a PC before and one who was used to using Windows 7

I think person who had never used a PC before would feel much more comfortable with 8 once they found the invisible start button vs trying to learn how to navigate Windows 7's start menu

Whereas the person who was used to using 7 would find it much more difficult to adjust to not having the start menu and having to learn the new start screen

I thought I could train my brain to see the new start screen as a big start menu, but it didn't work out like that, it is a separate OS to me, I see it and treat it as its own life-form and have had to learn it as something other than Windows

my wife has pretty much only used windows 7 and my machine runs windows 8, and she navigates around my machine just fine and she reconds the start screen is more productive as she also doesnt use the start menu at all, its not much to learn, she figured out how to print and do all kinds of things and she is an absolute n00b, i also have used windows since win 3.1 all the way thru to now, cant say i miss the start menu much, used to be a pain in windows 95

[neufuse Veteran]

I don't think there's any chance of this happening and I can't see a single reason why it should. If people want a Start menu then there are plenty of 3rd-party solutions.

single reason, it takes up the whole screen and you start windows at the start screen.. I'd rather start at the desktop on a desktop system then go into the start screen if I wanted to... I have program links on the taskbar and desktop, so why even go to the start screen first if you want to just use desktop mode only

also I know people scream about saying this but some of us don't want to have to go to a full screen start screen to load a program! make a start screen charm bar or something that can be easily accessed from inside the desktop that loads on the side or something and the option to go full screen if you want to in desktop mode

[bandit_liberty_rumble]

I love leaving the Start Screen open while I walk away, it has certainly got the attention of my room mates who are always asking about it.

That's nothing. I had a girl over, the other night, and the minute she saw my Start screen she fell deeply in love with me ? true story. Thanks Microsoft!

[HawkMan]

Yes, because most young kids just love their 'Fisher Price' toys, and the start screen makes them feel right at home.

hmm I guesing you've never seen as much as a screenshot of the start screen if you think it looks like fisher price. oh well.

[neufuse Veteran]

That's nothing. I had a girl over, the other night, and the minute she saw my Start screen she fell deeply in love with me ? true story. Thanks Microsoft!

that's nothing either, had a group of girls look at the start screen then rip their clothes off

[(Spork)]

lol@ the people still crying over the startbutton ...

[NoPanShabuShabu]

So, the only part of the main article that said that MS might bring back the start menu was this:

"Steven Sinofsky is no longer head of the Windows division and more and more voices familiar with matter are hinting that a Start Menu option could, after all, land on Windows 8 platforms."

So, "more and more voices familiar with the matter" are a better indication of what MS might do than Steve Ballmer pretty much saying "Nope."?

[Detection]

my wife has pretty much only used windows 7 and my machine runs windows 8, and she navigates around my machine just fine and she reconds the start screen is more productive as she also doesnt use the start menu at all, its not much to learn, she figured out how to print and do all kinds of things and she is an absolute n00b, i also have used windows since win 3.1 all the way thru to now, cant say i miss the start menu much, used to be a pain in windows 95

Yea I agree the start menu only became productive with XP, before that with the Classic Classic start menu it made life pretty difficult, especially if you needed something in the 5th sub-menu of the 3rd menu and you missed your target and closed the entire thing :angry:

The start screen is designed to be easy, simple, clear, which it is, and for some it will be an enjoyable transition, but I think for most who come from using XP>7 it will not go down well

that's nothing either, had a group of girls look at the start screen then rip their clothes off

That's nothing, My girl took one look at the start-screen and said "You're not putting that disk anywhere near my port" :p

[scaramonga]

hmm I guesing you've never seen as much as a screenshot of the start screen if you think it looks like fisher price. oh well.

A screenshot I could live with, but this thing is 'actually' real!

[bandit_liberty_rumble]

hmm I guesing you've never seen as much as a screenshot of the start screen if you think it looks like fisher price. oh well.

scnr:

[BillyJack]

I am all for the new start screen but there are some problems.

For example, when you install some applications you will get several shortcuts placed on the start screen. I don't want a cluttered start screen with all of those shortcuts specially if I do not use some of them all of the time. I can remove the ones that I do not want but then later I might forget what it was called or that it even existed. How am I suppose to get to the shortcut or remember it? In the start menu I always organized with folders. Those shortcuts that I rarely used went into an "Other" folder in the main folder like "Development". I can't do this anymore.

It also would be nice to have the choice to log right into the desktop. Why can't I have this choice if that is what I want.

[duddit2]

Jesus, my point was simple. Many none techy people are switching from laptop/desktop to iPad. They 'get it' in no time. Even people who have never used an iOS device.

The modern UI is simple to use, I've installed on my sons and my partners 2 girls pcs and they love it and can use it in minutes. There's a lot of overthinking going on here.

[+DKAngel Subscriber²]

I am all for the new start screen but there are some problems.

For example, when you install some applications you will get several shortcuts placed on the start screen. I don't want a cluttered start screen with all of those shortcuts specially if I do not use some of them all of the time. I can remove the ones that I do not want but then later I might forget what it was called or that it even existed. How am I suppose to get to the shortcut or remember it? In the start menu I always organized with folders. Those shortcuts that I rarely used went into an "Other" folder in the main folder like "Development". I can't do this anymore.

It also would be nice to have the choice to log right into the desktop. Why can't I have this choice if that is what I want.

thats the applications fault not windows, newwer apps dont do this u could allways go back to where the program folder was installed to and right click and pin to start u could possible just pin them to the superbar? :p

i also want windows to make me toast in the monrning because thats the choice i want but i cant have it, also previous versions of windows people wanted choice, its not your os its microsofts YOu dont have a choice

maybe i wanted a start menu for windows 3.1 but hey i wanted that choice and it wasnt put there back then :p kinda see where im going?

[TheLegendOfMart]

lol@ the people still crying over the startbutton ...

Who's crying?

[neufuse Veteran]

Jesus, my point was simple. Many none techy people are switching from laptop/desktop to iPad. They 'get it' in no time. Even people who have never used an iOS device.

The modern UI is simple to use, I've installed on my sons and my partners 2 girls pcs and they love it and can use it in minutes. There's a lot of overthinking going on here.

the problem isn't "getting it" the problem is how its done... its a full screen app.. works fine on tablets, but on a desktop can get annoying if you work 99% of your day in non-full screen apps on a well desktop mode desktop... you need a smaller version of the start screen in the desktop mode that can be taken full screen if you want it

[S7un7]

Removing the Start button completely was a dumb idea. MS lost sales because of that move. Some "average Joe" sees Windows 8 with no Start button and won't upgrade. On the other end of the spectrum, some computer geeks will not upgrade because to get it back requires a 3rd party application. Notice I said SOME.. MS should have given users the option to put back. This is very apparent by the number of downloads of Start8, Classic Shell, etc... And all the people saying 'you get used to it' or ?it?s easier', that is all opinion. I picked up Win 8 pretty quickly, but still hate it unless I'm using Classic Shell. As a Java and .NET developer it hinders my workflow.

[scaramonga]

This is very apparent by the number of downloads of Start8, Classic Shell, etc... And all the people saying 'you get used to it' or ?it?s easier', that is all opinion.

This ^^^^

My new slogan for Windows 8 is:

'Windows 8, there's a third party app for that'

[HawkMan]

Cringe alert, do you even sit back and read what comes out of your mind?

You are like a walking advert for Microsoft.

Well, nothing of what he says is untrue, so what are you complaining about ?

scnr:

Do you think the start screen resembles those fisher price toys ?

if the answer is yes, you need to call your optometrist.

Stardock said they sold tens of thousands of Start8, sorry windows 8 has sold millions. I think the people who can't adapt to the faster and more efficient start screen is an EXTREMELY small minority of the Win8 user base.

[xendrome]

There is already a start menu in Windows 8, you move your mouse to the bottom left of the screen and left click. Just like every other version of windows in the modern age.

[bandit_liberty_rumble]

Do you think the start screen resembles those fisher price toys ?

Do they have "qualities or features, especially those of appearance, in common with" each other? Yes.

[DeadEndAccount]

Believe me, when the corporates start kicking up a stink I can assure you that Microsoft will turn on a dime and say, "oh, we were always going to do it, the start page was only a place holder till we finished working on the new and improved start menu". For me I'm not fussed either way but it appears that for some out there especially in the corporate world the so-called benefits of the start page certainly don't pay off via improved productivity vs. the retraining costs.