Microsoft U-turn sees Start button back on Windows 8

It's like MS is being obtuse on purpose. People complain about having the entire focus of the system switch to tablet mode, just to find a document or launch a program. Not because of the few pixels representing the start menu. They obviously know this.<p>At first, I thought Win8 start screen would be nearly equivalent to the start menu. It is not. First, on RDP, it is an utter and total nightmare. Whoever thought Windows Server should use the start screen should be sacked. Last week I lit up 2012 servers for a client, and they thought the shell was a joke, literally. Even MS TechNet admits that doing things might be a bit of a hassle.<p>On normal desktop, it's extremely distracting to flip to start screen instead of opening the start menu. Also, the search feature is broken. Instead of having one global search, you need to type the query, then arrow down a few times to select the kind you wanted (like settings).<p>Finally, even when you get results, they're in tablet-tile mode, which is an annoyingly cartoonish way, and in case of long names (as MS likes), you get the name clipped.<p>If MST3K was reviewing it, this would be a part they just sorta chuckle and say "They really did that."

The Start Button is just a symbol for the larger issue, which is the shafting of Desktop users. There were only a small handful of things in Windows 8.0 that I felt offered an improved Desktop experience, whereas there were tons of things that I felt required more buttons clicks, more steps, etc<p>I hope 8.1 addresses the Desktop users in more ways than just the Start Button.

"In the 8.1 update, the area will be more visible. A left-click on the tip will bring up a tile-based Start Screen - formerly known as the Metro interface - designed for touch-screen users, while a right-click will display a small menu of other options such as Event Viewer, Device Manager and Disk Management."<p>It already behaves that way.<p>Also, searching to launch an app isn't that much different than the old start menu. Mouse to the bottom left, left click, start typing.

&#62;However, it will not offer all the functionality previously associated with the feature. Instead it will bring users to the recently-introduced "Metro" interface.<p>I don't understand how bringing users to the Metro interface is not offering all the functionality of the previous start button. The old start menu was a list of shortcuts. The Metro interface is a list of shortcuts. It might look different, but where is the loss of functionality?

This is still less than optimal. Just give the desktop users what they want. To me Windows 8 is a half baked attempt at striking a balance between desktop users and tablet users. Combining these interfaces is not going to work well no matter which way you try it. Its actually awfully reminiscent of using an old windows phone that essentially brought the desktop user interaction of Windows to mobile.

The first thing any technical person I know that uses Windows 8 on a desktop does is install Classic Shell: <a href="http://www.classicshell.net/" rel="nofollow">http://www.classicshell.net/</a><p>I still can't get used to that metro interface and switching between the modes in desktop mode.

I love Windows 8 and hope they leave the option to keep the task like it currently stands. The negativity is bloggers, using Macbooks, trying to rekindle the Vista days for page views.

I wouldn't hate re-learning the Windows interface if they had actually improved the experience.

The Start Button wasn't a big issue to me, as I long ago moved to a keyboard-centric workflow -- using the Windows key, typing a few letters of whatever I wanted to open and hit ENTER.<p>The big problem here is that this no longer works in Windows 8. Now you hit the Windows key, type a few letters of whatever you want to open and you have to arrow or tab a few times to get to the actual item you cared about.<p>For those complaining about the cumbersomeness of getting to system settings, I agree. That's why I urge users to learning about the Windows key+x keyboard shortcut.<p>More excellent tips from Scott Hanselman at: <a href="http://www.hanselman.com/blog/Windows8ProductivityWhoMovedMyCheeseOhThereItIs.aspx" rel="nofollow">http://www.hanselman.com/blog/Windows8ProductivityWhoMovedMy...</a>

It's funny to see two threads on the front page contrasting 'continuing the Windows 8 vision' with 'Microsoft u-turn'. I doubt many outside of Redmond are going to conform to the former viewpoint.

My grandpa and grandma bought a Win8 machine. Worst day of my life - trying to explain to them how EVERYTHING worked was/is impossible. They don't even understand basic navigation since they switched computers. I've been using computers for roughly 20 years and still haven't found an effective way to make use of Metro. I just go win+d and use keyboard commands.<p>Metro is okay on mobile devices but laptops and other computers should have the option to boot directly to desktop.

I don't get it. Why are they doing this? This is not what people have been asking for. Are they just doing this so the headlines say "Microsoft brings back the start button" and trick people into buying Windows machines again?<p>Because it's clearly just for show, and doesn't resolve any of the issues people have had with Metro on a desktop PC.