Who cares about the damn start menu?

[CHIP72]

I like the start menu since Vista to Windows 7. Just hit Windows key and type away the program you want to open. Easy. I find it hard to believe that the Windows 8 start menu is faster or more convenient. It's filling up the whole screen, feeling bloated. And yes, the "damn start menu" is what has been keeping me away from Windows 8. It just feels so wrong for desktop. I'm not saying Windows 8 is worse than Windows 7 - I believe it has better features and so on. It is indeed a whole new version of this software. And I will probably update to it sometime, but I will probably investigate some means to get the old Start menu back.

Point is I fail to see how the new start menu is actually better than the old (Windows 7). I find it inferior, clearly designed tablets in mind. This said, I have not used Windows 8 yet and there might be something I don't know.

Windows 8 is even simpler yet - instead of hitting the Windows button and typing in the search box, you (in the Metro UI) click anywhere on the screen that isn't an app/shortcut and do the exact same thing (type to search what you are looking for).

 

[narv]

I just received my Windows 8 computer (ASUS VivoBook X202E, an 11.6" touchscreen with a Core i3 processor) and I don't miss the Start button (Charms bar and just typing on the main screen do the trick). What I DO miss is being able to easily go back one step while in an app, the Windows Store, settings, etc. while in the Metro interface. I've found myself pressing the Esc button multiple times in an effort to go back a step (like you can do on the HTC Trophy Windows Phone and for that matter Android devices but you can't do on an iPhone unless there is a dedicated back button on the screen). Sure, I could default to "Windows 7 without a Start button" mode or swipe/pull down from the top of the screen to exit the app/screen, but I don't always want to do that.

Two other things I don't like are 1) how when you are downloading an app, the toast notifications bump you out of the app type selection screen to the main app selection screen and 2) the (apparent) inability to get the battery level when in Metro interface mode.

I have to play around with Windows 8 more, but part of me thinks it is combination of something really awesome and something that is a little screwed up and hasn't had all the kinks worked out yet. When I use my (also new) ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 in netbook configuration (which is how I almost always use it when I use it) or even my year-old Windows 7 laptop, I can't help but think clicking on static icons is boring. On the other hand, there are enough niggling things I've experienced with Windows 8 (things I did not experience with Windows Phone 7) that's it's annoying. I am very encouraged about Windows 8 going forward though.

1.) im a little confused because you said you hit escape on your phone.. I don't know of any phones that have the "esc" key on the keyboard.. so im not sure why you are comparing the windows 8 modern UI apps with a phone... but anyway.. there should be the back arrow in the top left.. it's the standardized "back" that apps use to go between pages. Then you mention closing the apps so I think you mean hitting "esc" to close the app? That would kind of suck, if you accidentally hit esc and closed the app when you didn't mean to. Though if you hit "esc" while on the start menu it will close the start menu and open it up to the last open app (or desktop if that was last).

2-1.) Notifications bump you out of the app type selection screen? im not sure what you are referring to here, sorry.

2-2.) I am on my desktop right now so I don't have a battery indicator. However on my tablet in the charms menu it shows the battery icon next to the time I assume that is the same on laptops. Unless you mean you need to see the % which it does not show (similar to how WP8 doesn't show it).

I agree with you the OS still has some kinks... If you recall all the people that upgraded to Mountain Lion and things like the Chrome browser didn't work.. and people's computers were crashing / restarting.. but they got fixed. Microsoft has shown so far with both win 8, and wp8, that they are dedicated and working up updates, bug fixes, features, and more. I will be the first to admit that it takes a bit to get learn your way around the new stuff. But I feel it's worth it.

like the start menu since Vista to Windows 7. Just hit Windows key and type away the program you want to open. Easy

This is still there.. in fact it's been improved upon.. in the start menu.. just start typing.. it will automatically start searching all of the installed programs and apps on your computer.. on the right will appear a menu.. you can select apps (which includes programs), settings (so you can search for system settings which you couldn't do before...), and files... AS WELL as click on any of your modern UI apps and it will launch that app and send the search string to it (like the store, or Wikipedia for example).

 

[CHIP72]

For clarification:

IMO, physical Escape button on desktop/laptop keyboard = physical Back button on smartphone/tablet.

Because Microsoft has created an OS that has the look and feel of a mobile OS (and looks very similar to WP 7/WP 8) even though it is also a desktop OS, IMO they need to have commands that bridge that gap. Some apps/screens in Windows 8 do not have a virtual back button. On my HTC Trophy I typically used the physical back button at the bottom of the phone to move "back" in an app. I want a key in Windows 8 that accomplishes the same thing when there isn't a virtual back button on the screen.

(To me, the back button issue on Windows 8 is semi-similar to the lack of a back button on iOS devices when you open a link in an e-mail and then need to close out the linked page and reenter the e-mail if you want to stay in your e-mail after reading the linked page).

NOTE - I just realized one of the issues may be that web pages accessed through apps don't have the same interface for going back a page as webpages accessed through a browser. I'll use an example - if I'm in the sports or news app and am reading the "front page" of a story, I expect to be able to use a back button (virtual or physical) to go back to the previous webpage. Of course, there isn't a previous webpage - it's the first page of the app. However, because webpages in apps look similar to webpages in a browser, I'm getting confused/thrown off when I try to exit the webpage in a news/sports app.

 

[dainla]

Unfortunately, computers are not like the old Windows Mobile phones where you could get a non-touchscreen version. That being said, I don't see your point when it comes to a desktop OS. If your finger can point to it, so can your mouse. Or your Wacom stylus, capacitive stylus or whatever input device you're using. OSX went with this "theme" before Windows 8 and I don't hear anyone moaning that Mountain Lion is a flop.

Mountain Lion is a piece of crap. Most if my friends don't like it. I hate it. I've use computers for very little and everything I do us now unnecessarily complicated.

I think Apple users are just less inclined to freak out the way windows users have over W8. Personally, I'm now thinking if switching to windows 8 now because I find the touch screen inclusion so impressive to use.

 

[jabtano]

When I first installed Win8 beta I did miss the start button. That lasted a whole hour or so. The problem is that MS did not do a good job showing why you didn't need it. though every Win8 OS comes with a video showing you how to shut down or reboot. it's simple be that in desktop mode or metro mode.I find now that I'm using more of the Win 8 apps on the start page than I was before. I have Win 8 running on my gaming rig...on a laptop and on a surface.

 

[I Spiritus I]

I thought it was a little bit of a learning curve switching from W7 to W8, but now I've switched (Got W8 on my gaming rig) and have a Surface RT I'm loving it!

 

[fatclue_98]

Mountain Lion is a piece of crap. Most if my friends don't like it. I hate it. I've use computers for very little and everything I do us now unnecessarily complicated.

I think Apple users are just less inclined to freak out the way windows users have over W8. Personally, I'm now thinking if switching to windows 8 now because I find the touch screen inclusion so impressive to use.

For an Apple user to complain about OSX would be tantamount to sacrilege. Honestly, I loved OSX when it was still on Power PC processors. The move to Intel was the start of "Window-fication" and OSX lost its mojo. I like Windows 8 but the boot-up speed and incremental overall speed of the system is not enough for me to upgrade from 7 Ultimate.

 

[Simon Tupper]

For an Apple user to complain about OSX would be tantamount to sacrilege. Honestly, I loved OSX when it was still on Power PC processors. The move to Intel was the start of "Window-fication" and OSX lost its mojo. I like Windows 8 but the boot-up speed and incremental overall speed of the system is not enough for me to upgrade from 7 Ultimate.

Well there are a lot of benefits to switch from Win7 to Win8, but if you are not going to like it then don't upgrade.

 

[odin09]

I care about my damn start menu! I hate a cluttered desktop and only put a few select apps there. I access almost everything from the start menu... Not the fastest or most efficient way but it's my way. There is no reason not to have it... You don't have to use it if it's there.

 

[fatclue_98]

Well there are a lot of benefits to switch from Win7 to Win8, but if you are not going to like it then don't upgrade.

Obviously you misread my statement, I do like Windows 8. I just don't feel there are enough benefits to justify the time required to back up all the software (over 100 gig's worth), music and photos I have to install the new system. Yes, I only believe in clean installs as opposed to upgrades. I'm sure there are also quite a few titles in my collection that aren't supported by 8 either. It's a shame because I really like the Metro UI. Cuts down on a few steps and that's really the point of this thread - who cares about the damned start menu.

 

[Laura Knotek]

For an Apple user to complain about OSX would be tantamount to sacrilege. Honestly, I loved OSX when it was still on Power PC processors. The move to Intel was the start of "Window-fication" and OSX lost its mojo. I like Windows 8 but the boot-up speed and incremental overall speed of the system is not enough for me to upgrade from 7 Ultimate.

I have a friend who loved Snow Leopard but hates Mountain Lion. He is not a social media user and hates the "sharing" options that are so prevalent in Mountain Lion.

 

[fatclue_98]

I have a friend who loved Snow Leopard but hates Mountain Lion. He is not a social media user and hates the "sharing" options that are so prevalent in Mountain Lion.

Not to go off on a tangent here, but what's the deal with all the "sharing" these days? I don't know about you, but I'd rather be able to just attach a file to an email and cc whoever I want than to go through all the hassles of social media. I'll post a funny pic on FB every now and then but to have the whole world (read: employer) see what you're up to is not my idea of sharing. End of rant, excuse me while I go fetch my meds.

 

[TonyDedrick]

Not to go off on a tangent here, but what's the deal with all the "sharing" these days? I don't know about you, but I'd rather be able to just attach a file to an email and cc whoever I want than to go through all the hassles of social media. I'll post a funny pic on FB every now and then but to have the whole world (read: employer) see what you're up to is not my idea of sharing. End of rant, excuse me while I go fetch my meds.

You do know you can block your employer from seeing your Facebook page and you can pick and choose what and to whom you share something with. Typically, if I'm sharing something its not very serious and I would share with all my friends if I could. I find Facebook to be the easiest method to do it

 

[Laura Knotek]

Not to go off on a tangent here, but what's the deal with all the "sharing" these days? I don't know about you, but I'd rather be able to just attach a file to an email and cc whoever I want than to go through all the hassles of social media. I'll post a funny pic on FB every now and then but to have the whole world (read: employer) see what you're up to is not my idea of sharing. End of rant, excuse me while I go fetch my meds.

I'm the same way. Yes I use Twitter, although I don't use Facebook. However, I prefer "email link" rather than "share as [email, Facebook, Twitter, etc]". Just the whole "share" terminology bugs me. I'd rather see "send" or "email" instead of "share".

 

[fatclue_98]

You do know you can block your employer from seeing your Facebook page and you can pick and choose what and to whom you share something with. Typically, if I'm sharing something its not very serious and I would share with all my friends if I could. I find Facebook to be the easiest method to do it

Can the blocked party know they've been blocked? If they can, that sends a loud "FU" message don't you think?

 

[TonyDedrick]

Can the blocked party know they've been blocked? If they can, that sends a loud "FU" message don't you think?

I guess they will know they are blocked from seeing your page if they've already had been your Facebook friend. Even if so, you can control what he/she sees. My little brother doesn't see anything adult related I post or share with others

 

[narv]

Obviously you misread my statement, I do like Windows 8. I just don't feel there are enough benefits to justify the time required to back up all the software (over 100 gig's worth), music and photos I have to install the new system. Yes, I only believe in clean installs as opposed to upgrades. I'm sure there are also quite a few titles in my collection that aren't supported by 8 either. It's a shame because I really like the Metro UI. Cuts down on a few steps and that's really the point of this thread - who cares about the damned start menu.

not to get you all off topic of being off topic..... ... but just to note.. when I upgraded from windows 7, I also selected a clean install.. It created a folder on my computer called windows.old that has my old stuff in it though... (this is something i know win 8 RT does too).. so you CAN clean install and still save your stuff.. but it's just program files, windows folder, and the "my pics" "my docs" etc folders. Just a side note, hehe

 

[smurfercom]

I care about my damn start menu! I hate a cluttered desktop and only put a few select apps there. I access almost everything from the start menu... Not the fastest or most efficient way but it's my way. There is no reason not to have it... You don't have to use it if it's there.

I care about it to, after struggling with navigation and getting under the hood I decided to use classic and have it boot straight to desktop. Now I don't have to bother with metro and metro doesn't bother me... Win win for both sides of the two headed monster.

 

[unstoppablekem]

I like the start menu since Vista to Windows 7. Just hit Windows key and type away the program you want to open. Easy. I find it hard to believe that the Windows 8 start menu is faster or more convenient. It's filling up the whole screen, feeling bloated. And yes, the "damn start menu" is what has been keeping me away from Windows 8. It just feels so wrong for desktop. I'm not saying Windows 8 is worse than Windows 7 - I believe it has better features and so on. It is indeed a whole new version of this software. And I will probably update to it sometime, but I will probably investigate some means to get the old Start menu back.

Point is I fail to see how the new start menu is actually better than the old (Windows 7). I find it inferior, clearly designed tablets in mind. This said, I have not used Windows 8 yet and there might be something I don't know.

Get windows 8 and download Stardock Start8. It will pretty much replace what you used to have on W7.

http://www.laptopmag.com/review/software/stardock-start8.aspx