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TenerifeTeddy
17-04-2013, 17:51
This was an article published in ZDNet. Could it be that common sense is breaking out at Microsoft following the lukewarm sales of Windows 8.?

What if Microsoft relented and granted users who are lukewarm about Windows 8 two of their biggest requests: Allow those who want to boot straight to the desktop, and bring back the Start button with Windows Blue, a.k.a. Windows 8.1?
startbutton

Though supposedly not part of the original plan for Blue, these two UI options are looking more likely.

Reports from a couple of different forums from this past weekend raised the possibility that Microsoft might be moving toward allowing users to skip booting into the Metro-Style Start menu and instead start their PCs in desktop mode. (Winbeta.org noted the thread about this on April 14.)

One of my sources confirmed this is now looking like the plan and added that Microsoft is also considering bringing back the Start button as an option with Windows Blue.

It's not 100 percent sure that either/both of these options will be baked into the final Blue release, which is expected to be released to manufacturing on or around August 2013. I guess we'll have a better indication once the next milestone build, a.k.a. the Blue Preview, leaks — or when the public version of that preview goes live around June.

"Until it ships, anything can change," said my source, who requested anonymity.

Microsoft officials have publicly maintained that users are not confused by the new Windows 8 interface and that they find it "easy to start to learn," especially on touch screens. I, myself, have adapted to the new UI well on my touch-screen Surface RT, but like a number of business users, I find the new UI more of a curse on non-touch-screen machines. As a result, I am still running Windows 7 on two of my three Windows devices.

If Microsoft does end up adding the Start Button and boot to desktop options to Blue, it won't be the first time in recent history that the Windows client team has gone back and changed the Windows UI based on user dissatisfaction. Remember how users balked over the way Windows Vista first implemented User Account Control (UAC), the "most hated feature" in a hated OS release? Microsoft ended up changing direction with UAC in Windows 7, based on beta tester outcry.

What do you think? Would adding these two user-requested options soften resistance to Windows 8, especially among Microsoft's much-needed business user camp? Or would this be too little, too late?

markcuk
17-04-2013, 18:35
Bring it back I say sick of using classic shell! and I don't use the metro I click straight to desktop.

works great on the windows phone though!

TenerifeTeddy
17-04-2013, 21:10
As the article says, it seems to work fine on a touch screen, but is a pain in the bum otherwise. I use the keyboard shortcuts for most of the commands and that saves a lot of frustration trying to get the mouse in just the right place.

There are also several third party software patches that install a Start button and related functionality. I don't know whether it is across the board (I doubt it) but at least one branch of PC World in the UK adds the 3rd party patch on all new non touch screen PC's & laptops. One of my clients bought a new laptop in and showed me, and told me that is how he got it from the shop, they apparently took the decision to do it after getting numerous complaints from customers returning machines because they couldn't figure out how to use them.

waveydavey
18-04-2013, 08:07
I use Win 8 and have installed Win Start Menu to get back to a sensible start option with the start button,just download the Win Start Menu and you will have the option to use the metro or Win 7 start up.

BobMac
18-04-2013, 10:29
I've been using Windows 8 for about 9 months now - pre-release version & full X64 version and don't find the new interface to be a problem

If you have a mouse with a wheel, it works just like a touch screen, you just roll the wheel.

My first experience with Windows was Version 2 and I've used nearly every version since - Windows 8 is better than all of them in my opinion

CIM
18-04-2013, 15:44
I have it on 3 PC´s and have installed a start button on all of them - highly configurable and so far have had now problems with it or any compatibility issues. I still do most things from the desktop rather than the new menu interface though.

rob897
19-04-2013, 17:12
My inital impression with windows 8 was that the metro interface was an option, ie launched from the desktop. and the windows 7 UI would still mainly be there as its been for years , while its good on touchscreens,Where PC's will end up as being standard shortly. Microsoft didnt really consider that the majority would be upgrading there non-touch PC's so really should of given this option right from the start . I'm still using windows 7 on all PC's so im guessing the next time ill experience the full windows 8 is when i get something touch. I would welcome the UI change or alternativey they could offer the downgrade offer that they did with vista.

BobMac
19-04-2013, 20:43
My inital impression with windows 8 was that the metro interface was an option, ie launched from the desktop. and the windows 7 UI would still mainly be there as its been for years , while its good on touchscreens,Where PC's will end up as being standard shortly. Microsoft didnt really consider that the majority would be upgrading there non-touch PC's so really should of given this option right from the start . I'm still using windows 7 on all PC's so im guessing the next time ill experience the full windows 8 is when i get something touch. I would welcome the UI change or alternativey they could offer the downgrade offer that they did with vista.

If you have a wheeled mouse, the wheel moves the Metro screen back and forward just like a touch screen would move.

rob897
19-04-2013, 21:56
If you have a wheeled mouse, the wheel moves the Metro screen back and forward just like a touch screen would move.

yes, but what about trackpad? not just that the icons are large too, which is great for touch. I just personally think they should of left it up to the user to decide.