I wrote an article stating that it wasn’t clear how much Microsoft was listening to us regarding Macro issues. Well, now we have a good indication – Not much. CFO and Chief Marketing Officer Tami Reller confirmed to Investment Firm Nomura that the Start menu would not be coming back to Windows 8. From Arstechnica:
In these meetings, Reller discussed the concerns that reviewers have raised about the Windows 8 interface: in particular, the lack of familiarity that the interface will have, and the worry that it will be confusing for mouse users. Windows 8 removes the Start button and instead depends on hot corners for essential functionality, and in the current beta there is little to tell users what to do. According to Nomura, Reller confirmed that the Start button will remain gone, but that the discoverability problem will be addressed through a tutorial for users, so that when they first run the operating system they will be guided through the new interactions.Well, so that’s that then. Nothing to see here, move along. More to come soon…]]>
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i’m not going to say the taking away the start button is wrong or not. I see it both ways and using Windows 8 for a while now I see both sides. For tablets the start button would only be a bad thing, its one of the reasons why Windows 7 and earlier were not finger friendly. On the other hand for a mouse and keyboard user I can see the start menu being a little easier at first because it would make it so the new user wouldn’t have to learn something new. People do fear something new, when we went from Windows 3.x to 95 I and others didn’t like the start menu but we got use to it and now with Metro its the same.Â
Microsoft could give in and when a mouse and keyboard is plugged in there could be start button but that would be backing down from what they believe. Now if they find after Windows 8 goes gold and people still want the start button they may give in and put it in a service pack? I still think they’re doing it this way because they hope by Windows 9 or 10 enough programs will be made into Windows apps that they can get rid of the old Windows all together and just have Metro. Maybe even make the old Windows more like command prompt is to Windows today.
Well said..
I decided to address your overall issue with MS in the previous thread that you linked to this one, because it is more appropriate there. Mr Amobi, I think you should read it. I wont repeat it here because it is way too long. The start menu is gone for good and never coming back. It is the way it has too be. Some people dont like change so change has to be force on them. There is a reason for it and if you havent figured it out, maybe you need to think about it more. I tried to explain it and left quite a long post, but know invariably that it still isnt long enough to spell out every detail which I fear too many people willl need. I did my best as I cant write a book here. Good bye Windows 7, you were a great OS, but times be a changing. We all have to change with it or die.
Your argument is crap. Obviously you are one of those Microsoft shills paid to troll these blogs and spew the drivel. Go ahead MS, do this and see how low your sales will go. Thousands and thousands are still running XP and will continue to run XP or upgrade to Win 7. But Win 8 is a LOSER, and so are you Rex.
I seem to be hearing that a lot..
Rex, I don’t think users have to do anything. They can stick with 7.
Absolutely, many users can stick with Windows 7. In some ways I expect it to be the new windows XP. But users will buy new computers with Windows 8 on it. They will not likely pay to downgrade to Windows 7. Many of them will hate it and some maybe install Linux on it, fewer yet will maybe pay to use an older OS, but not many. Most will learn to live with it and after time learn to like it. Like those of us who use the dreaded Vista (which besides many peoples remarks to the contrary is really a pretty good OS, much better than XP for instance). This small few will buy Metro Apps which they will love to use on Windows 8 tablets and Windows 8 phones. And that should help MS break into the tablet and smart phone markets. It is a huge gamble, but hopefully it will pay off. I personally hope it does. I want to buy apps I can use everywhere. I can see myself buying windows 8 computers, tablets and smartphones for this ability.
for multiple monitor users the hot corners doesn´t work
u can also use classic shell http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/
OK. I get the point!!! We should stop complaining about the absence of a Start Button. On the bright side… I’m sure a handful of third-party devs will come up with an App (we use to call it utility or applet) to address this issue. Third-party devs will also come up with a way to turn off Metro or Desktop. Now IÂ just can’t resist to say this again: “Apple makes us happy, Google saves us money, and Microsoft keeps us in business (esp devs)”.
Yeah.. this will be a big year for third party utilities…
Did anyone think or dream that the start button was going to come back? Of course it wasn’t! It was made clear by microsoft as well as Paul Thorrutt. Microsoft won’t change anything regarding to the duel interface or start menu/button. If you don’t like it, tough luck, because MS doesn’t care if you like it or not. Don’t get mad at me; I am just the messenger.
MS will only care after seeing how well or poorly Windows 8 performs in the market, and not now.
Seems like that’s the case…
Well that’s good news isn’t it! Made my decision to stick with windows 7 and gradually turn to macs in my house over time, bye bye Microsoft, windows 8 wasn’t anyone’s idea but Microsofts
good bye, James-abell.
Let’s wait till the Release Candidate…
 Most people will give MS a chance, Windows 8 has some good things going for it. People who are going to pay 2-3 times more for a mac probably already use a mac. People who use only Windows will probably switch to Windows 8 or stay with Windows 7. If Windows 7 becomes another Vista then Microsoft will fix it just like they did from Vista to Windows 8. I like that Microsoft is sticking to their guns because it means that they are trying to make Windows 8 as it is work and probably by RC it will have more changes for the better. I think Microsoft is listening to what people say but they’re tying to make Windows 8 work the way it is instead of giving in right away, putting a start menu or taking out Windows mode. They believe that this is the best chance for Windows and I agree.
Think of this, say they have 2 versions of Windows, a PC version and a Metro tablet/phone version. Would developers make their programs into apps? Would developers develop for 2 OS’ or would they just develop for one? Or would they just make programs for the PC version? If this happened then Microsoft would loose all chance of having a Tablet OS. By going in this direction its their best chance of having a tablet OS in hope major developers will make their Windows programs into Metro apps.
 How many ios apps were made into programs for the mac and vica versa? ios is popular but macs are still 5-8% depending on who you talk to. Microsoft, Google and apple are all betting that tablets are going to be as big as laptops but while Google and apple didn’t have to worry about loosing market share on PC’s (Google doesn’t really have a PC OS and apples market share is already small) but Microsoft does have to worry about it. Going in this direction is their best bet to loosing the least amount of market share if Windows 8 becomes another Vista.Â
Reminds me of the federal government: “Doesn’t matter vhat you vant, ve vill decide vhat is good for you”
Funny with the ve vill.. LOL
well let’s face it, its the corporate users that will make or break this. you can all keep your opinions, they are worthless in this case. If you have to train your entire workforce, which looks like the case with win8, then why not take the opportunity to move away from windows altogether!
Now before you MS junkies call me a Mac fan etc. I must point out, I am MS through and through. I hate Macs, I live and breathe MS, BUT I have to support what the market dictates, so I want Win8 to work more than most.
so FFS MS listen to what people want! dont bite the hand that feeds!
User are used to the start button, dont make this huge mistake for pride or whatever silly reason that stops you listening to your marketplace!
Yep, the same corporate users that are still using XP
Well said!
 All the more reason to get used to Linux! At least Linux has a start button…. and oh yes, they do listen to suggestions. You can even modify the looks and how the operating system works to your liking. Aps are ok for phones and tablets… not operating systems on computers.
Linux might be on the verge of a comeback…no not really…
yea it’s another vista/windows me fiasco. steve jobs is laughing his ass off right now. you can not have something like the start button that we as user’s have used for 20 years or so, and make it vanish over night. the one thing we humans don’t like is change. we want things to work and work well, windows 8 does not yet work.Â
Steve Jobs would have a lot to say that’s for sure…
that is microsoft for you!
but, as i mentioned in a previous post a quick fix is to install the free util, “Start8_setup.exe” from StarDock (official website:Â http://stardock.com/products/start8/). Â Great tool, which makes it a lot easier to work with Win8 when you don’t have a touch-screen!!!
Lets see where we are with windows 8 i can understand the need for the metro interface but my desktop hasn’t got a touch screen the family computer has and runs windows 7 but the touch screen is only used by the kids when there fighting over who turn it is. I think they need to keep different os’s ie, phone, mobile desk/laptop, tablet. that fit together better, what they don’t need is a one size fits all os. there just end up with a (jack of all master of none system.) i can see me looking to linux in the future, as apple will insist in controling my every move.
I heard rumors that motion sensing is going to be built-in on future desktops and laptops (believe it or not the post-PC world is a myth). We all know that MS released a PC version of their Kinect sensor and its possible that new monitors will come out with standard Kinect sensors, in addition to microphones. Is it possible that MS wants to kill the Start Button to give way to this new input technology? We know MS also has a vested interest in selling add-on Kinect sensors. No matter how cool it will be, motion control will of course not replace the Mouse completely as it is the only (affordable) way to accomplish tasks that require fine control and coordination. But most navigation tasks can be accomplished by Kinect.
Addendum: I did not see any Start Button in the movie “Minority Report”. Is this what MS wants the world to be like?
Onuora,
You should know better than most that by the time Windows reaches beta stage, there are no more major/functional changes made to the operating system. Consumer preview is the windows 8 beta.
You knew this wouldn’t change between now and release; if it were an issue with this build, Microsoft would have said in advance, they wouldn’t have waited a few months then denied it was intentional.Â
Correction – Betas are just that – Beta. Lots of changes are made to Betas and sometimes RC’s are much better off.
We’ll see how this Release Candidate does…
You are mistaken. Regardless of what *you* think beta means, Microsoft has always pegged the beta release as feature complete. Release candidates are exactly that – candidates for release. They are supposed to be almost complete – with only edge case bugs to be fixed – and will never have features added or changed in more than a minor fashion. The only exception to this has been Vista, though Microsoft obviously hadn’t planned it that way.Â
If you (or anyone else) really thinks anything is going to change for the release candidate, you’re delusional. Microsoft’s track record is very clear, you just have to look at any one of their last 10 years of software releases – and not just operating systems – to see it.
Hmm, unless the RC really impresses – it may well be good bye Windows (That is Windows died when it turned 8).
The headlined in the local paper may read something like this:
‘Windows Is Dead! Â
After decades of fanfare and myriads of fan-boys Windows dies at 8. Microsoft failed to respond to their patriotic consumers and have paid a heavy price as millions of copies of Windows8 have been left on the shelf.Â
Corporate organisations logically and predictably opted to stay with older versions since the cost of training staff to use a radically new interface is just not viable – let alone being completely outside of the ‘Discover-ability concept touted by Microsoft themselves.Â
Mr Balmore acknowledges that many people wanted real world applications on a real world desktop solution (which we had already) but we wanted to force them to use Apps designed for mobile phones and tablets – devices which of course they didn’t really need or want anyway due to the high cost of implementing such devices into the corporate budget structure. Oops!Â
Win8 may well become an expression used to refer to a complete flop in business decisions and use-case-feasibility.Â
Mr. Balmore says he is happy in his new job as Executive manager at the local Burger King restaurant, which ironically still uses a legacy desktop version of Windows know as XP for their computing requirements.Â
Windows8 – Concord re-imagined!’Â
Hehe – In jest of course – I hope anyway…..
Too funny..
You should write for the Onion
i am very old school and not very computer smart took me a long time to learn x p when i tryed windows 8 i was sooo lost that i just gave up on it i have windows vista on a laptop but it keeps having problem even thow i tryed all i could to fix it ie updates ect. not tryed windows 7 yet hope it is better than windows 8 or vista and i dont have a smart phone i make my few calls from a old school cell phone that still has buttons hope windows 9 when it comes out is like my x p that i use few my few computer things
keep BEST BUY, and pull out at STOP and SHOP!!
that’s nice to here ,. i was excepting a new look for windows.
Classic Shell 3.5.0 is released now for Windows 8 Consumer Preview and adds back a customizable Start orb and of course the Start menu. In case you want to add the original Windows orb back instead of the Classic Shell orb, use this image: http://i.imgur.com/9tAAy.png in the Classic Start Menu settings -> Start button tab.
That’s it screw MS hello Linux.
I’m happy with the changes they made. Microsoft can’t listen to all customers…
Dear Onuora,
This is what happen in a real world, if we ignore tiny part of the missing pieces that was part of the shattered dream and we leave them uncheck will become a true mistery forever.
In todays tech world, where every part of the system are link to one another, they can perform a fast and easy task on the system without bumping each other, and have a full control on the track that was well design by the creator. Most of the hidden secrets as part of the system are now well displayed to us for this time around and there will be more to come in the future time. Collecting every pieces of the elements through the timeline history, it has shown an increase in transparency for each elements which is now had made easier for us to analyse and made decision on what will we become in the future. The picture shows the completenes of the untold mistery that have been discover until now, and had made some of us dive more deeply into the realism zone.
Start-Process-End, is the computer behavior that was repeatedly use everytime the machine work. Now Microsoft will remove the start button which was to be the essential part of the system that had made problem to the users, and change it with a more reasonable type so that it’ll be love by many, the decision had to be taken and hope it’ll work well without the destructions. Good luck and thank you.  Â
Stop whining and squeezing your head. Â
Here’s your START BUTTON:
http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/Classic-Shell-Download-194993.html
Metro for morons and socialites… desktop for work… Metro is for mobile not for real computers.
I read your article where you suggested having 3 different licensing options for Windows 8 and I am not persuaded of its relevance. I thought to bring it back up here since the missing “START” button seems to be a great motivator for the 3 license option.
What were some reasons for the start orb?Â
1) To locate programs. Windows 8: Place your programs on the taskbar, in the metro screen right click -> all apps. (more tedious yes, but as you figure out your most used apps, you place them in the metro app list).
2) Run. Windows 8: WINDOWS button, begin typing, that simple – easier than going Start -> Run.
3) Control Panel. Windows 8: Right click bottom left corner, there it is. OR place Control Panel on desktop, OR press Windows Button.
4) My documents. Windows 8: desktop, WIN+E, Right Click on Explorer icon on Taskbar -> Documents.
5) Searching? Windows 8: Press WINDOWS button, start typing.
So why bother separate Metro from traditional Desktop? I love it as is. I love that if I am just doing casual browsing or emailing, everything is right there in Metro. If I need something else, I’m just a click or two away.
Not everyone wants a UI that is PERFECT for phones and tablets to be running on their desktop or laptop computer. The Metro UI is useless to me, and it is a damn shame that I will eventually have to resort to using a third-party add-on similar to Stardock’s Start8 Â http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/ application.IMO, Metro is Microsoft’s initiative to standardize the Windows OS codebase across all devices: computers, tablets, mobile phones… sound familiar? It should, because it is precisely what Apple did with OSX/iOS. All I am asking for the option to have the [start] menu back, but that will not happen. Microsoft want’s one UI across all devices and giving people a choice to go with the “new and improved” UI, or stay with the “old” UI just won’t fly. New is scary and old is comforting and if you give people the option of scary versus comforting, which do you think people will choose? With Apple, you get two choices: use it or don’t. Is Microsoft heading in the same direction?