Microsoft Confirms Start Button Returns in Windows 8.1

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anxiousinfusion

anxiousinfusion

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If you already have a desktop, you might as well double it as a picture frame when it's not in use. And there's no concern for battery life when it's plugged into an outlet. People have done so for years by using the "slideshow" option in screen savers.
 
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gonziago

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This if what I have been waiting for! The chance to turn me $1500 computer into a picture frame. Another win Microsoft.
 
mobrocket

mobrocket

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Linux Mint as an operating system is better.
If it didn't have to use office and stream had more linux games
I would ditch Windows 8 happily
 
stevejnb

stevejnb

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Excellent - this is an overdue change and something they easily could have and definitely should have included from day one.



With the inclusion of the start menu, Metro existing really doesn't take away from regular desktop computing at all. That being said, when you want a full Windows machine in the form of a tablet, you more likely than not will quite appreciate being able to switch to Metro rather than using the non-touch friendly desktop UI. If Metro no longer impedes or encroaches on your desktop in any way, why would you want to get rid of another potentially very useful option?
 
TheCapulet

TheCapulet

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Lets hope the start button is an optional thing. Quite frankly, I don't want it cluttering up my screen, now that I got used to not using it. Besides, I have my task bar on top, with the start menu position remaining on the bottom left of the screen where it belongs.
Don't fuck with this, MS, I like it.
 
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macpeteo

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You have got to be kidding me, right?!! A multiBillion ollar company brags that its brand new OS:
* turn their PC or tablet into a picture frame
* Start screen, Windows 8.1 will provide more colors, backgrounds, and motion-based wallpapers
* easier to name groups and rearrange tiles - for you METRO Lovers out there
* Search charm
* redesigned Music app - yes , we really need another one of those
* Users can even have different Windows Store apps running on all the displays at the same time - more shopping joy!
* There are also options to change what the corners do - I think Apple had that since OSX
Now if that does not entice you to spend another $100 bucks with Microshit, I just don't know what will!
 
thor220

thor220

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To everyone here:
Microsoft is bringing back the start button but NOT the start menu. Instead when you click on the start button it will bring up the metro interface. It's a sneaky move by microsoft to try and gather some support, it's quite disgusting.
To all the windows 8 supporters:
Windows 8 might be a decent OS but the company behind it is going in the wrong direction. If they can't even bring back the start button without a huge caveat, what faith should professionals have in microsoft to use their system for work? I can't believe that microsoft continues to spit in the face of the largest purchaser of their OS, business.
 
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realibrad

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Its funny how the main thing people say is....
"Windows 8 sucks, I'm never going to get it or use it"
If you have used it, and don't like it fine, but settle down if you have never used it.
Also, if you thing a feature is pointless, then don't use it. Windows offers the most versatility of any OS. This has a lot to do with the market share they have, but Apple has no plans to make their OS as open as Windows. Linux is too disjointed for most casual users. I would rather MS do more with the power they have with the the market share they have, but so far, nobody seems to be able or willing to challenge them. There might be a reason why, and I really doubt its because MS is a monopoly, cause companies like google if they found a way to take that market, they would. Chrome might some day, but google seems content with letting MS have the fun for now.
 
SirGCal

SirGCal

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Because we had Windows 7 almost perfect; we wanted to mess it all up and start from scratch all over again and prove we can talk ourselves out of any hole.

That's what I see when I see Windows 8 advertisements anymore... From the administration side of things, it's too much of a headache. I'm not even talking about the start button, metro, etc. Honestly I'm surprised they're back-stepping on Metro at this point. Now if they add back in the other features they ripped out...

But I do agree with the others out there... Like I'm going to make my $3500 rig a picture frame or added more music stuff I don't use or new IE crap I'll NEVER use (why use a W3C non-compliant browser, I'll never understand... Ironically, I posted a new video to youtube and a friend running IE on W8 couldn't see it... Go figure. )

But why in the heck they have to turn windows into the app-store factory doesn't make any sense to... Oh wait... M$ greed... Android and Apple and even steam has an app-store, we want one too!!! We want to do data-mining now also on your PCs and sell that too! Never mind, figured it out for myself...
 
pocketdrummer

pocketdrummer

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They just don't get it, do they?
We want an OS that works well with a mouse and keyboard so we can get actual work done. The BUTTON itself doesn't matter. It's not a problem to use a hot-corner. The problem is that clicking the start "button" rips you from your workflow and wastes screen space in the sake of looking "modern". It offers no tangible benefits to anyone who uses their computer for work.
The metro UI needs to be redesigned for PCs. Take a look at Start8 from stardock (hell, hire them to do it for you). They've already come out with solutions to problems that should have never made it to release.
Also, figure out how to make things work WITHOUT swipe gestures. It has no place on a computer with a mouse. It's slow and its uncomfortably foreign in a desktop environment. This is something a user will learn to cope with, but never something that will feel right for the platform.
It looks like Microsoft missed the mark... again.
I guess we'll have to wait for 8.2 or 9 for a decent desktop environment.
 
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dvanburen

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I don't WANT a start button. The right-click menu in the lower-left corner is perfectly fine. now I will have a useless button (I have one on my KB!) that takes up space on my taskbar. yay.
 
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jezus53

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I love the narrow mindedness of all you people. It's very entertaining. Just because windows 8 is out, does not mean you need to use it. For the crowd that makes their own computers you can buy windows 7. DONE. For the market with touch capabilities windows 8 is amazing. I have the Asus Taichi and metro is great for in tablet mode and and the gestures are equally as awesome.
From the business sense, BUSINESSES DO NOT UPGRADE WITH EVERY OS RELEASE. You guys act like companies jump on the next new thing all the time. They are going to do like they did with XP, stay with it FOREVER and then gradually change to 7. Companies already had to pay a ton of money for win7 and they will use it till nothing supports anymore.
I feel Microsoft made a somewhat decent decision with this new OS. They saw how tablets were taking over the market and how limited tablet OSes were. If you actually sit down for an hour and use win8 on a tablet, it is amazing. I personally could not use it for a desktop and I don't think it was meant to be on desktops, which is were I would say Microsoft went wrong, not with win8, but their implementation of it.
And to those joking about "HUR DUR NOW I CAN MAKE MY 1337 RIG INTO A PICTURE FRAME HOW DUMB DUUURRRR." That functionality is mainly for tablets. People love to store photos on them and then show them off. It'll be a great function to easily share pictures.
 
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macpeteo

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Yes, I can understand Microshit wanting to modernize their OS but he way they did it was pure GREED! They could have ported the Windows phone OS to the tablets and than worked on a Desktop OS for the Desk Top, one that would unify both, phone tablet and Desktop, instead, they launch their PR machine on how everyone loves 8 and that are listing to their customers when everyone knows that no one loves windows 8 over 7 (has no need for 8) and THEY ARE NOT LISTING TO THEIR CUSTOMERS!
They probably have all kinds of rosy ideas on how to get into their customers wallets with Windows 8 ( and now XBoxOne)
Apple is looking better and better each day!
 
Hanin33

Hanin33

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I believe those that say we should just get over it and get used to the change have never had to support hundreds of users on a daily basis. I believe those that would say the Windows Store is useful to businesses, the core of the Windows Licensing scheme, have never actually worked IT in a business with more than a handful of users. Touch interface for Excel spreadsheets? Touch interface for CAD/CAM or GIS? Touch interface for word processing? When did the OS stop being just the layer that that brought your hardware together and allowed you to decide where you go from there?
 
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dvanburen

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@jezus53 - While I agree with just about every point in your post, you may want to narrow the scope of your comment, particularly this part:
"I love the narrow mindedness of all you people."
There are several posts prior to yours, including my own, that do not merit this distinction.
 
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