News - Microsoft shows the Start menu, coming in future Windows update

[HEXUS]

Also details the improvements coming in Windows 8.1 Update 1, available from 8th April.

Read more.

[crossy]

If they've got live tiles in the new, improved Start menu, how about offering the option to turn off MUI on the desktop since it seems a little redundant now? Losing the (endlessly annoying!) forced context switch between MUI and "old desktop" would go a LONG way to persuading me to get a copy of '8.

Having a "Start Menu" wasn't a big deal for me personally since I use app search a lot these days, but it's nice to have and I realise that there's a lot of folks out there who need a folderised list of their applications.

[Plasmastorm]

As above, ditch the MUI or give me the option to turn it off and I would have to consider win 8 also.
I know there are plenty of 3rd party apps etc to do this but you shouldn't have to have extra things running just to make the OS run how you want it to imo.

[Platinum]

I actually like the new start menu, that + Windowed metro apps is defiantly a step in the right direction, now give us touch + K+M versions of the apps and it should be a winner.

[Noxvayl]

For those that use Windows 8 without a start menu application, like Start 8, this might be helpful but for me it makes no difference. It is interesting that they are taking two very popular programs that Stardock sell, and I bought, and putting that functionality into Windows by default like it should have been from the start.

I am interested in the added right click context menus though, MUI apps are dumbed down to the point of being devoid of useful features. I installed OneDrive on my Windows 8.1 system yesterday only to find I need to right click the folder in explorer to be able to move it to my preferred location; no right click context menu or any sort of button/menu inside the app offering that ability which is crazy; I can't control the app from inside the app, so frustrating on a desktop system.

Without some significant changes I don't see MUI being popular on desktop systems. Great for touch devices, and possibly acceptable on the Xbox, but when you strip features from programs (placing them outside the program in obscure places) that were working fine on desktop systems you do not provide any benefit to the user.

[CK_1985]

The start menu looks a little dated to me, but other than that I'm really pleased with all the changes coming in 8.1 - although personally I really don't have a problem with 8, especially since Update 1 introduced the boot-to-desktop option.

[Smudger]

You can set Win 8.1 to go straight to desktop on startup, just right-click on the taskbar, go to properties, and the tick box is in there. I hardly ever see the Start screen any more.

[th3_f15t]

You can set Win 8.1 to go straight to desktop on startup, just right-click on the taskbar, go to properties, and the tick box is in there. I hardly ever see the Start screen any more.

*puts on pro-Microsoft hat*

I thought this was a well publicised point about 8.1 over Windows 8.0. Also, there is a start menu in 8.1, but not as it's been before. Going to the MUI and clicking the little downward pointing arrow takes you to a full screen menu, where instead of having to expand folder everything is already displayed. The only thing it doesn't have is the "pin to start" ability but with task bar pinning, desktop short cuts and even MUI pinning, it's not important.

I've grown to really enjoy using Windows 8.1, I actually prefer it over Windows 7. As a home user, it does everything well and is better supported (in terms of drivers) for older hardware (that I've found so far). That's not to say I don't like Windows 7, because I do. I just prefer 8.1 for various reasons now I'm used to it.

[OilSheikh]

ALL APPS ? lol
Microsoft needs to realize there is a difference between an app and a program and a software

[shaithis]

I couldn't be that bothered about the start menu TBH, I pretty much stopped using it for everything except "My Computer" and right-click context menus from it (properties and manage) back in Vista thanks to the search facility.

I have however quite liked the live tiles, which I am sure will become more and more useful over time......I am glad to see they haven't gotten rid of them while adding the start menu back in. Interesting to see they went with the dual approach, rather then the either/or that many users were crying out for.

Now, to make me happy they will announce DX12 as part of the update - yeah, I wish!

[Saracen]

I couldn't be that bothered about the start menu TBH, I pretty much stopped using it for everything except "My Computer" and right-click context menus from it (properties and manage) back in Vista thanks to the search facility.

I have however quite liked the live tiles, which I am sure will become more and more useful over time......I am glad to see they haven't gotten rid of them while adding the start menu back in. Interesting to see they went with the dual approach, rather then the either/or that many users were crying out for.

Now, to make me happy they will announce DX12 as part of the update - yeah, I wish!

And that, in a nutshell, represents the problem MS have. I, you see, am pretty much the opposite of it.

I do use the start menu, am not at all interested in MUI or live tiles.

So, the ONLY way MS are going to satisfy both camps is to let US choose. Which is what I've been saying since the Win8 ruckus started .... let the USER choose to enable or disable MUI mode or classic mode, either on installation or, at worst, via control panel.

And it seems, rather surprisingly, they're coming around to that position. Though, after the mockery of the Start button returning in 8.1, I'll wait to see what actually materialises in these supposed changes before concluding it actually amounts to a climb-down .... or reconsidering my decision to ditch Windows entirely for any future upgrades.

[bridges009]

Yeah, whatever, just get Windows 9 right first time. It's not that hard.

[crossy]

Yeah, whatever, just get Windows 9 right first time. It's not that hard.

Yep, but look on the bright side - they're already running a huge paid-for alpha test of Windows 9. Only problem is that some of the alpha testers mistakenly keep calling it "Windows 8".

[collie64]

Good Grief, some people are never satisfied. I've been on a windows based laptop for years now and the improvements from the dreaded Vista have been great, Microsoft atleast have listened to what people want and have tried to accomadate them as much as they can. the changes from windows 7 to 8 where dramatic but approach with an open mind you can see how well things are going. The 8.1 update certainly seemed to get around the biggest issue many had(booting to desktop), the re-introducing of the start menu to me is not something I want or need as everything I want can be pinned to the task bar or as desktop short cuts. If this STILL doesn't meet your requirements SWITCH to APPLE and then see how a company treats your ideas(Apple will ignore you).

[cheesyboy]

I like the Metro UI, just wish it had the functionality of the desktop (and that it would ditch the completely useless MUI options menu)

For me, the MUI with the live tiles placed on the desktop instead of icons would be great.

[Saracen]

Good Grief, some people are never satisfied. I've been on a windows based laptop for years now and the improvements from the dreaded Vista have been great, Microsoft atleast have listened to what people want and have tried to accomadate them as much as they can. the changes from windows 7 to 8 where dramatic but approach with an open mind you can see how well things are going. The 8.1 update certainly seemed to get around the biggest issue many had(booting to desktop), the re-introducing of the start menu to me is not something I want or need as everything I want can be pinned to the task bar or as desktop short cuts. If this STILL doesn't meet your requirements SWITCH to APPLE and then see how a company treats your ideas(Apple will ignore you).

Apple? Like hell.

I've switched several machines to Linux, which is almost certainly right where they will stay. Others are on XP, which is certainly where they will stay (and yes, I know support's being withdrawn, and it doesn't matter to me). But the Win7 machines are staying on Win7, for now at least. When they move, depending on Windows is like at that time, they'll probably go Linux, too.

But MS haven't been listening, and doing what they can. They've been doing their best to ignore a large part of their userbase, and are being dragged, VERY reluctantly, to one concession after another, because the pbjections from that part of their userbase are very real.

If you're happy with 8, that's great. But I'm not, and nor are a lot of others. Thing is, MS will get future revenue from those that are hapoy, so they're not listening to you. But they're perhaps starting to realise that they're not going to get future revenue from many of those that aren't happy, and just maybe they'll listen to that, once it sinks through their thick heads that we mean it, and that just blustering and ploughing on regardless won't work.

Linux is a via alternative for most purposes, and once you've got over the initial mindset conversion, does the job just fine. And, it's free, or cheaper, depending on quite which route you go.