lewmur Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 MS released 8.1 to technet subscribers and I installed it on a spare partition. I thought one of new features was supposed to be the return of the start menu. If so, I can't find it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crp Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 MS released 8.1 to technet subscribers and I installed it on a spare partition. I thought one of new features was supposed to be the return of the start menu. If so, I can't find it. Why did you think the 'Start' menu was coming back in W8.1 ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ross549 Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Windows 8.1 features "boot to desktop" but not a start menu. I think there may be an option for a "start button" but that will bring up a metro start screen. Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goretsky Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Hello, I'm on a hotel wireless connection so it is going to be a while before I look, but from what I recall, the Windows key toggles the Start Screen. For an actual Windows 7-style Start Menu, you will probably need to install a third-party utility. Regards, Aryeh Goretsky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zlim Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 Lenovo adds a start menu - this is for Windows 8 http://www.technobuffalo.com/2013/08/22/windows-8-start-menu-lenovo-pokki/ Not sure what is in the plans for 8.1 from Lenovo. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crp Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 http://www.technobuf...u-lenovo-pokki/ oooh :bounce:oooh! Speaking of technobuffalo ,are John and Ashley siblings? it is spooky how her body language and mannerism are just like his. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goretsky Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 Hello, I made this a while ago, but perhaps it will be of help here: Developer Title AreaGuard Software StartW8 ChemTable Software Handy Start Menu Crawler, LLC Classic Start 8 ConsumerSoft Viva Start Menu Engelmann Media GmbH Win8Starter for Windows 8 IObit Start Menu 8 Ivo Beltchev Classic Shell LeeSoft ViStart Mike Makarov Power 8 Omas Mims Windows 8 Start Menu Application OrdinarySoft Start Button 8 and StartMenu7 Quadsoft Win8StartButton ReviverSoft Start Menu Reviver Spesoft Windows 8 Start Menu app Stanislav Zinukhov StartIsBack Stardock Start8 SweetLabs Pokki for Windows 8 Thinix RetroUI Torch Media, Inc. Start Button for Windows 8 Total Idea Software 8StartButton Tweaks.Com Start for Windows 8 Vladimir Belyaev Taskbar Classic Start Menu Wentutu Windows 8 Start Menu Winability Software StartFinity WinOK Software StartMenuPlus8 NOTE: Entries in italics are open source. Regards, Aryeh Goretsky 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Excellent list, Aryeh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachy Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 The Start Menu itself is over-rated. I actually don't miss it in Windows 8 and newer. The start button to bring up the Start screen is a convenience. The Windows 7 Start Menu, just like in XP, becomes rather unusable when you have too many programs installed. I've found that the Windows 8 Start screen is more efficient because I just start typing the name of the application and the search function has it up for me within 2 or 3 keystrokes. Windows Server is even better served by the new interface model. How quickly can you bring up Group Policy Management Console in Windows Server 2008? In 2012 I just hit Windows Key+C to bring up Start then immediately start typing g, p, m, c and voila I've got the tile. It's just as quick as using Finder in OS X or Search in Ubuntu's Unity interface. When I use Windows 7 I hardly bother with the menu system; I just use search and type in the application name or Windows Key+R if I know the Windows system file name like mstsc for the Remote Desktop Client. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crp Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 The Start Menu itself is over-rated. I actually don't miss it in Windows 8 and newer. The start button to bring up the Start screen is a convenience. The Windows 7 Start Menu, just like in XP, becomes rather unusable when you have too many programs installed. How many is too many? I don't have an issue with a few dozen applications installed. The Start Menu is setup to display recent programs and I really like having the recent files opened with the programs show up when I highlight the program. I missed that quite a bit when using W8 - whose Start Screen is a mess. As for Keystrokes - that i consider overrated. I attach keystrokes to a few programs but hardly use the builtIn Window Keys. I do use Menu keystrokes quite a bit though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ross549 Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 Peachy has a good point. I don't even use the start menu in the traditional way any more. I don't go to all programs, look for the folder with the program in it and click the program. I just hit the start key, type the first three letters, and hit enter. I don't need to use the mouse to do it. I do something similar on my Mac. Cmd-Spacebar to bring up Spotlight search, type the first few letters, arrow up or down if needed to select and hit enter. I don't need to use the mouse there either. Now, the start menu in Windows 7 is pretty functional. Theist used programs are there right away, and the recent documents feature is useful too. I guess I don't like to have to putter around to get into the program I need. I just want to get into it as quickly as possible. Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goretsky Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 Hello, The Start Screen, like the Start Menu, needs to be curated in order to be useful. Otherwise, you end up with too much... stuff in front of you which limits your ability to quickly make decisions. Another interesting thing to think about is that the Start Menu was designed when screens had a 4:3 aspect ratio, and you could expect to display a good deal of information along the vertical axis. With the current crop of monitors at 16:9 (and, yes, a few 16:10's and the emerging 21:9 aspect ratio) and having resolution along the vertical access which has remained unchanged (or even reduced), the interest in using the space along the horizontal axis (ala the Start Screen) begins to make more sense from an interface POV. Regards, Aryeh Goretsky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted September 20, 2013 Share Posted September 20, 2013 Peachy has a good point. I don't even use the start menu in the traditional way any more. I don't go to all programs, look for the folder with the program in it and click the program. I just hit the start key, type the first three letters, and hit enter. I don't need to use the mouse to do it. I do something similar on my Mac. Cmd-Spacebar to bring up Spotlight search, type the first few letters, arrow up or down if needed to select and hit enter. I don't need to use the mouse there either. Now, the start menu in Windows 7 is pretty functional. Theist used programs are there right away, and the recent documents feature is useful too. I guess I don't like to have to putter around to get into the program I need. I just want to get into it as quickly as possible. Adam Yep me too for Windows 7 and easy with the Mac too. I use the start button to bring up that text box too and start typing. Really miss it in WinXP. In Win 8 I toggle back and forth with Windows Key and start typing to get what I want on the Start Page also. It's the only way to fly in that OS, and a carry over really from Windows 7 and that search box on the start button. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.