Comments on: Windows 8.1: Back to Basics?

By: Craig Buckler

Craig Buckler — Mon, 13 May 2013 17:06:09 +0000

To be fair, we won’t know until the final release. The Start menu shortcuts still lurk beneath Win8′s surface so it could be resurrected. Or it could present a smaller Start screen. Or it could show the full Start screen like it does in Blue. Doubt I’ll use it anyway!

By: Craig Buckler

Craig Buckler — Mon, 13 May 2013 17:01:37 +0000

I don’t miss Aero. Yeah, it looked nice, but was a system hog and you didn’t notice it when you were working. I much prefer Win8′s fast booting!

By: PilotBob

PilotBob — Mon, 13 May 2013 16:39:21 +0000

> Are you using Windows 8?

Yes.

> Do you prefer it?

Yes.

> Do you detest it?

No.

> Do you want your Start button back?

No.

> Will Windows 8.1 address your concerns?

not from what I have heard. My problems with windows 8 have nothing to do with the start button or the live tiles, it has to do with support for Windows 8 Store apps on a desktop machine. There is no windowed mode. There is no multi-monitor support. On a multi-monitor machine you can have the windows 8 “stuff” on one monitor or the other.

It might be fine on a 10inch table to only have 1 app visible (or two with snap view) at a time… but on a desktop with two 24+” monitors it is just too restrictive so I basically don’t run Windows Store apps on my desktop, although there are some I would like to use.

BOb

By: David Zhang

David Zhang — Mon, 13 May 2013 16:35:00 +0000

hopefully microsoft will re-enable Aero…
metro design+aero effect… nice

By: ac513

ac513 — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:57:14 +0000

I’ve been doing this with the start menu’s search bar ever since Vista. I was under the assumption everyone took the app/file searching to their advantage, so the confusion with Windows 8 surprised me. I guess people missed the memo *7 years ago* that the start menu was quickly becoming antiquated.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:51:03 +0000

Sorry to disappoint you, but there is an important distinction here. Windows 8.1 is bringing back the “Start Button”, NOT the “Start Menu.” Craig correctly notes above that this new button behaves the same as the lower-left screen gesture. In other words, clicking on this start button brings you to the start screen, just like pressing the Windows key.

By: Damon Johnson

Damon Johnson — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:30:31 +0000

Hey, great article and at last one that is pretty balanced.

Personally, I don’t miss the start button as much as other people have. I actually find it easier to press the start button on my keyboard and start typing the application I want to run. I would go so far as to say that this is a far more efficient process that going through the motions of using a mouse.

I love the fluid look and feel of Windows 8, the only thing lacking is a store to rival apple as I find most apps basic and nothing new. Hopefully, as time goes on, developers will add to the store.

My only critic is that I find it awkward to navigate folders. I have solved this by creating a shortcut on my desktop and can navigate to folders this way. I feel that’s the only thing which has ‘slowed down ‘ working on my PC.

I’m not sure where the ‘hate for Windows eight’ has come from, but I definitely love it and think its a step in the right direction!

By: Shaun

Shaun — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:24:06 +0000

Glad to see the start button is back… the start screen is missing a ton of functionality that the start menu contains.

IE11 would be great since IE10 has a lot if issues and as a developer the dev tools are pathetic! So glad these are getting fixed! The DOM Tree that IE had was horrible, incorrectly nested, didn’t do live updates and was a monster to try and use. I will not miss the old dev tools one bit!

By: Huy Phan

Huy Phan — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:07:51 +0000

On the next Beta Windows bring back Start and Shutdown in Start