Windows 8 users still want a Start menu

[nsane.forums]

Over 100 days have passed since the launch of Windows 8 and it seems clear that lots of its users want a return of the Start menu as well as a dedicated Facebook app.

It's been over 100 days since Microsoft launched Windows 8 to the general public, along with Windows RT and the RT version of the Surface tablet. On Saturday, Microsoft launches the Surface Pro tablet running Windows 8 Pro. After using Windows 8 for over three months, it seems clear that the people who buy the Surface Pro tablet want to have two things installed.

One is a Start menu replacement for the desktop. The other is a dedicated Facebook app for the "Modern" UI.

Since the launch of Windows 8, Stardock says it has seen over three million downloads of its Start8 program that brings back the Start menu to the desktop. Another developer, Sweet Labs, recently announced it had 1.5 million downloads of its Pokki program that also offers a Start menu for Windows 8. A few days ago, yet another company, Thinix, released a new version of its own Start menu program, RetroUI. The company has not revealed how many downloads it has generated from the program but did tell Neowin that they were "very pleased" with the results.

Those are just three of the many Start menu apps for Windows 8 that have been released. It seems clear that there are lots and lots of Windows 8 owners that want the Start menu returned to the desktop, even if Microsoft does not want to oblige them

As far as Windows 8 apps, users would clearly appreciate if Facebook would come through and launch an official app for the OS. Five of the top 10 free apps in the Windows Store social category are third party Facebook apps and one of them, Facebook Touch, is currently the eighth most popular free app in the store, period.

While there are certainly other apps that Windows 8 users might appreciate (for example, there seems to be a growing trend for touchscreen-based file explorer apps), the two types of apps we have mentioned above are by far the most requested.

For the Start menu replacement, the ball clearly seems to be in Microsoft's court on this one. Microsoft has indicated that they have no plans to update Windows 8 to reintroduce the Start menu, and we can certainly understand the company's stance that they want to move beyond a UI that was created over 15 years ago for Windows 95.

On the other hand, there are a lot of people that are either buying new PCs with Windows 8 pre-installed, or updating their old PCs to the new OS, that are taking the time to download the many third party apps that restore the Start menu. The perfect compromise to this situation would be for Microsoft to do what it did for Windows Media Center; make a Start menu replacement and release it as a paid third party add-on.

People might complain about having to get an add-on but they seem to be willing to give money to other companies for their Start menu replacements. We think this is a missed opportunity.

As far as an official Facebook app, this is something that Microsoft doesn't have much in the way of control. We assume that Microsoft asked Facebook to provide an official app for Windows 8 and we also assume that Facebook has rebuffed their advances. Microsoft did decide to make its own Facebook app for Windows Phone 8.

To the folks at Facebook, we would submit that it is in your own best interests to offer a dedicated Windows 8 app. There are a ton of third party apps that are using your company name and even your logos in the Windows Store. The lesson for Facebook? If you don't make your own Windows 8 app, there will be plenty of others that will do it for you and profit from these apps at your expense.

Will adding a Start menu and an official Facebook app end all of the critics of Windows 8? Nope, but it will please the customers that Microsoft and Facebook need to hold onto and they both need to think seriously of giving their Windows 8 customers what they are getting from others.

View: Original Article

[MidnightDistortions]

Knowing Microsoft they might eventually include a start menu for a fee for future OS's. I guess long as the price for the OS itself stays fairly low it won't be too bad. Although i never get OEM, i always go for the full package.

[Marik]

facebook on my window? get that sh*t away from me!

[rach]

:protest: give back the start menu :dance:

no more facebook :frusty:

[ffi]

I tried many start replacements in the beginning but decided to give the new win8 features a try and sort of got to like them, I never used the start menu a lot in win7 anyway. the only annoying thing is the top right sweet corner which I frequently activate accidentally when browsing.

[xpmule]

same story with out the awful fanboyism at neowin jeez that place digusts me with the Micrsooft cheerleaders.

those pricks banned me for using the abreviation M$ and that is it period.

i was using it since like 2005 LOL

and i ever trolled there at any time i talk like i do here just as i do there.

the staff is pro M$ and if you criticize M$ they will ban you.

they (the staff) act like mouthy rude power mad children and how and why they banned me was retarded

and i could show the pm and email they sent me and the topic i lasted posted in, which would show clearly

that i did nothing different than anyone else there. What i'm saying is i can prove crystal clear they are trying

to sweep under the rug anyone that bitches about Windows 8.. makes sense with the free trips to meetings and free hardware etc they get lol

this story source was from neowin that's why i said that.. and i can't stand that place

read the comments on this same story over there and you will see what i mean.

the staff condones and supports the windows fanboys and bans the others and what's worse is teh fanboys

provoke the hell out of everyone on every story with a million dumb comments begging for the other side to talk

..and get banned lol

[LeeSmithG]

:protest: give back the start menu :dance:

no more facebook :frusty:

I don't do social networking either.

I do have a twitter and a facebook account, to get free software only, otherwise NO.

When myspace came out, I ignored that also.

So I want an operating system free on pressure to have those installed.

I thought the whole idea of windows was so you can 'clean as you go'

I mean, easier to work with.

A start menu make things easier, like a task bar and shortcuts etc....

So I will install and upgrade the three other systems in my household when they (M$) release via WU a start menu.

I don't want third party start menu.

[DKT27]

............

Good to see that I ain't the only one noticing the extreme fanboyism.

For their members, Microsoft is god and can do no wrong whatsoever.

[dcs18]

Windows 8 users still want a Start menu

Windows 8 Users want everything in life - they want the Start Menu, Babes and last but not least . . . . . . . an erection.

[LeeSmithG]

Windows 8 users still want a Start menu

Windows 8 Users want everything in life - they want the Start Menu, Babes and last but not least . . . . . . . an erection.

If you have erectile problems then you have one option, visit and discuss it with you G.P.

[dcs18]

Windows 8 users still want a Start menu

Windows 8 Users want everything in life - they want the Start Menu, Babes and last but not least . . . . . . . an erection.

If you have erectile problems then you have one option, visit and discuss it with you G.P.

. . . . . and if you have problems in comprehending, visit and discuss it with your Shrink.

[dcs18]

The other is a dedicated Facebook app for the "Modern" UI.

I don't think I'd want (or wait for) Microsoft to provide a Start Menu - the reason is plain & simple (the 3rd party Start Menu alternatives have advanced much more than the native and original Microsoft Start Menu.) :rockon:

The other is a dedicated Facebook app for the "Modern" UI.

:thumbsdown:

[LeeSmithG]

Windows 8 users still want a Start menu

Windows 8 Users want everything in life - they want the Start Menu, Babes and last but not least . . . . . . . an erection.

If you have erectile problems then you have one option, visit and discuss it with you G.P.

. . . . . and if you have problems in comprehending, visit and discuss it with your Shrink.

I recommend you do that.

We have psychiatrist's and psychologist's in Britain not shrinks.

[dcs18]

Windows 8 users still want a Start menu

Windows 8 Users want everything in life - they want the Start Menu, Babes and last but not least . . . . . . . an erection.

If you have erectile problems then you have one option, visit and discuss it with you G.P.

. . . . . and if you have problems in comprehending, visit and discuss it with your Shrink.

I recommend you do that.

We have psychiatrist's and psychologist's in Britain not shrinks.

Oh, so Shrinks are different from Psychiatrists and Psychologists - good to have those at your beck-n-call (all the best.)

[JessicaLeigh]

LOL You guys are sooooooo funny! I swear, I forgot what I was going to post!!!!!

[crackflasher11]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/i862io9sylcrf7w/StartIsBack%201.3.3%20For%20Windows%208%20Trial%20Reset%20may%20work.rar

StartIsBack 1.3.3 For Windows 8 Trial Reset

[zordon]

why pay for software to bring back the start menu, when there's a free alternative called Classic Shell:

http://www.classicshell.net/

[Fallon]

I may stick to windows 7 until win8 SP1, or even until windows 9 (2015).

It's not the Start Menu, but there is this (page 562 in Windows 8 Step by Step):

Microsoft removed the classic Start menu from Windows 8. In its place is a hidden system menu that provides quick and easy access to many useful tools such as Computer Management, the command prompt, Task Manager, Control Panel, the Run window, and many others. This is another feature Microsoft has added to make navigating Windows 8 easy for those who prefer using a keyboard and mouse.
The fastest way to open this menu is to press Windows+X on your keyboard.

[Fallon]

Page 119, 'Windows 8 Inside Out ' :
(...) you can download and install desktop apps that provide a Start menu very similar to the one built into Windows 7. My favorites are ViStart, available at http://lee-soft.com/vistart/ and Start 8, available at http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/ Also check out Classic Shell at http://classicshell.net/
(as mentioned by Zordan, above here)

Still Page 119, 'Windows 8 Inside Out ' :
If you want to see the desktop in Windows 8 when you log in, rather than the Start screen, follow these steps:
1. Open the desktop by clicking the Desktop icon from the Start screen or by pressing Windows+D .
2. Open File Explorer .Type the following path in the address bar, and then press Enter: %AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup .
3. Right-click in the Startup folder, click New, and then click Shortcut .
4. The Create Shortcut wizard appears .
5. On the What Item Would You Like To Create A Shortcut For page, type
explorer.exe shell:::{3080F90D-D7AD-11D9-BD95-0000947B0257}
. Click Next.
6. On the What Would You Like To Name The Shortcut page, type Show Desktop, and then click Finish.
The next time you log in to your computer, Windows 8 will briefly display the Start screen and then automatically show the desktop.

(Edited links to work)