Lenovo Signs Deal That Adds Start Menu to Windows 8

[exfileme]

Lenovo is shipping new Windows 8 PCs with Pokki, but it won't be chocolatey and crunchy.

Lenovo Signs Deal That Adds Start Menu to Windows 8 : Read more

 

[rantoc]

Its a shame when a company further down the chain have to fix a mistake made further up, especially since the company further up refused to admit and fix that mistake! Thoo hardly surprising, every other Windows have been garbage since the beginning!

 

[qlum]

even OEM's start adding back their own start menu.

 

[bryonhowley]

Microsoft needs to stop this kind of thing now. OEM's should not be allowed to screw up Windows 8 like that. There is no reason what so ever for a start menu period. Windows 8 and 8.1 are perfect the way they are.

 

[digiex]

I'm still not buying notebook/PC with preloaded Windows, you just get bloatware with added cost.

 

[viometrix]

well stardock fixed this issue months ago with a program call start8, it add a perfect and fully functional start menu back just like the one in windows 7.... lenovo's answer is just pseudo-fix as it doesnt look and act like the 7 start menu we know and love.

 

[Larry Bob]

While I do appreciate Lenovo's response to customer feedback on W8, this "start menu" should be replaced with Start8 or StartIsBack as both of those would be more familiar to W7 consumers.

 

[cpatel1987]

@bryonhowley: May I ask how a third party application that can easily be uninstalled from the machine is "screwing up windows"? If someone has knowledge on how to uninstall something, its very harmless.

 

[michalt]

They're not looking to put the start menu back in for their customers, they're looking for an additional channel to sell people software. Otherwise they would put in a simpler product like Start8 or StartIsBack. Pokki is an advertising platform that shares revenue with the OEMs. This is just a different kind of bloatware.

 

[sykozis]

well stardock fixed this issue months ago with a program call start8, it add a perfect and fully functional start menu back just like the one in windows 7.... lenovo's answer is just pseudo-fix as it doesnt look and act like the 7 start menu we know and love.

Pokki isn't intended to look like the Windows7 start menu. That's what Start8, StartisBack and Start Menu 8 are for. Pokki is intended to reduce the initial bloatware that's installed on the system by recommending software to the user that he/she might actually want/need. It's basically locally installed adware that includes an app store so that OEMs can better monetize their customers while reducing the usual bloat that we're all accustomed to. However, Lenovo isn't the only OEM going this route....though SweetLabs isn't disclosing who the other OEM is.

 

[JOSHSKORN]

I'll pass. There is a plethora of apps which will add a Start menu minus the bloatware.

 

[shafe88]

Microsoft needs to stop this kind of thing now. OEM's should not be allowed to screw up Windows 8 like that. There is no reason what so ever for a start menu period. Windows 8 and 8.1 are perfect the way they are.

Wouldn't work to good as they tried this in the 90's with the Netscape browser. They are perfect for tablets and touch screen's but not for the good old keyboard and mouse. PS: Are you sure your not Steve Ballmer or related to him, it kinda sounds like something he would say.

 

[Grandmastersexsay]

If you are going to use a mouse, why use Windows 8.1 at all? Windows 7 is still for sale. I don't get it.

 

[tolham]

I haven't used windows 8 yet, but now that I think about it, I hardly ever use the start menu on my windows 7. I only use it when I need to access the control panel, admin tools and the shutdown/restart button. if I had shortcuts for those things, I would never need the start menu.

 

[dark_knight33]

They are all freakin obsessed with monetizing every little thing it is getting so annoying , why not just sell a clean one like that with the ones for 8.0 , I absolutely hate being bugged to buy some crap apps all the time .

Microcenter and Newegg sell all kinds of PCs, any you can think of, without bloatware. You just have to assemble it. :lol:

Seriously, I've built 9 or so computers this year for customers and myself, not one had a single smidge of bloatware on it, and not one will fail due to cutting corners on power supplies or motherboard design (bad caps).

You get so much more for your money, even if you're paying me to build it -- and not an ad in sight.

 

[mcd023]

Woooooow. Yea. I'm sticking with the start pages on Win8/Win8.1. hahaha Sometimes, I feel like the only one who likes it. Well, at least it's about 55% of people listening to the Windows Developer Show podcast don't like the start button.

 

[dimar]

A bloated Start Menu?? No Thanks. Classic Shell rules!

 

[midnightgun]

Am I the only one who continues reading after liking what Lenovo is doing to "my god, they have turned the Start menu into an ad delivery system"?

 

[tului]

Microsoft needs to stop this kind of thing now. OEM's should not be allowed to screw up Windows 8 like that. There is no reason what so ever for a start menu period. Windows 8 and 8.1 are perfect the way they are.

Obvious troll.

Am I the only one who continues reading after liking what Lenovo is doing to "my god, they have turned the Start menu into an ad delivery system"?

Seems like that isn't a neutral platform. They're developers. They have an interest in the "App Store" part of Windows 8 doing well.

 

[fuzzion]

Win7 for the win

 

[jimmysmitty]

I haven't used windows 8 yet, but now that I think about it, I hardly ever use the start menu on my windows 7. I only use it when I need to access the control panel, admin tools and the shutdown/restart button. if I had shortcuts for those things, I would never need the start menu.

In 8 all you have to do is right click in the lower left hand corner, or on 8.1 the Start Button and everything is there set with admin rights by default.

Its like a cut down start menu with things most people ever go to the start menu for anyways.

Most customers machines I work on are a mess on the desktop because that's what they use. The don't use the start menu as much as others do.

Overall 8/8.1 is fine. This software is extra load on the OS itself and acts as a API which takes over Metro which is still running. Its extra power being used. Sort of annoying.

But whatever it takes for Lenovo to get sales. I personally prefer a clean OS install be it 7 or 8 anyways.

 

[nikolajj]

Microsoft needs to stop this kind of thing now. OEM's should not be allowed to screw up Windows 8 like that. There is no reason what so ever for a start menu period. Windows 8 and 8.1 are perfect the way they are.

I agree! I can do SO much more with the new start screen than i was able to do with the old start menu. I only used the old one to shutdown or search in the limited, useless way that I could.

 

[nikolajj]

I haven't used windows 8 yet, but now that I think about it, I hardly ever use the start menu on my windows 7. I only use it when I need to access the control panel, admin tools and the shutdown/restart button. if I had shortcuts for those things, I would never need the start menu.

No one does. The sad thing is, they bitch about the removal anyway...

 

[back_by_demand]

Garbage software, why not just pre-install ClassicShell?

 

[darkavenger123]

I do agree that Start8 is a better choice, but i guess Pokki is paying Lenovo to have them preloaded onto their PCs...while Start8 is a paid app with no app store (hence no revenue) and thus Lenovo have to pay Start8 for license instead. Anyway, Pokki isn't all that bad. I used both. You can always ignore their appstore like Windows 8 appstore!