Start Menu will reportedly return to Windows 8.1 this fall

At BUILD 2014, Microsoft surprised many by showing off a Start menu that will be making its way back into Windows. After Windows 8 debuted without the iconic feature, there was a great deal of negative feedback, and along with numerous other contentious issues surrounding the OS, it eventually lead to the departure of Steven Sinofsky.

But with Windows 8.1 and its first major update, Microsoft has been slowly re-introducing classic features and has made a commitment to making the OS more mouse- and keyboard-friendly.

Ever since the Start menu was shown off, everyone has been wondering when we will see it return to the OS and, according to Wzor, the answer will be this fall.

Read more at: The Start Menu will reportedly return to Windows this fall - Neowin

[tweet]458321397626847232[/tweet]

 

[Edwin]

[h=1]Start Menu will reportedly return to Windows 8.1 this fall[/h]
Personally, it doesn't matter to me what they do, I'll mess around with anything MS throws out there!

 

[alphanumeric]

I didn't like 8.0 at all, it just didn't work for me on my desktop with multi monitors. Metro Apps were so restricted. 8.1 changed all that for me. Flipping the Start Menu around so programs install to All Apps screen was the icing on the cake for me. It's much easier to pin the couple of shortcuts I do use than unpinning all the ones I don't use. Paint balling all the shortcuts for an installed program to the main Start Screen was my main peeve. That and metro being limited to one monitor only. The list goes on for 8.0. Snap was another issue, on my 1280x1024 LCD's Metro Snap was not an option. Now I can snap two Apps on those screens and 3 on my main 1080P monitor. That's 7 apps if I want in 8.1 versus 2 in 8.0.

It's all mute if you don't intend to use a metro App though. For spite or whatever. Some just like to complain, that's life. I don't get the Live ID paranoia either. If that kind of stuff bothers you then why even go on the internet in the first place? Why even bother with Windows 8.x, why not just stay with Windows 7? < I take that last comment back, some. Granted if you buy new that's likely what your stuck with but if you do have a choice why install 8.x and then handsome frog about it? < I'll likely regret saying that, but that's how I feel at this particular moment. I did it in the past several times. I tried all of the previews and went back to Windows 7 numerous times. It just wasn't worth the aggravation of running 8.0. Once I tried 8.1 though, it worked for me so I kept it.

 

[nonono]

Anyway, windows is getting dumber. Its all those little details that is destroying good windows name, like disabling uac now requires editing registry, sharing internet via wifi can be done via cmd only, plus you cannot simply connect to any wifi spot, and so on. Its not enough now to bring start menu back, its only 1/100 things that needs to be fixed.

 

[Clintlgm]

Anyway, windows is getting dumber. Its all those little details that is destroying good windows name, like disabling uac now requires editing registry, sharing internet via wifi can be done via cmd only, plus you cannot simply connect to any wifi spot, and so on. Its not enough now to bring start menu back, its only 1/100 things that needs to be fixed.

Well yes however I would guess that 95% of Desktop and Notebook users have any Idea what you just said! More that enough reason that MS has made these security things a little tougher at least enough that you need to understand what and way you are changing these settings. So I don't disagree with MS on the 1/100 security issues you just said. The Start menu is quite another thing. I guess the Noobs will not know the difference. The rest of us will do what we have done Make the changes we need and use 3rd part apps for a start menu. For myself the metro interface is useless I have no plans to learn it. It seems that there were security issues with the gadgets we were using in Window 7? I never quite figured out why? but I continue using the ones I like even now in 8.11, The Meto Apps appear that they could replace gadgets if we could use them on our desktops, While assuming that they are less of a Security issue than gadgets?

 

[CountMike]

I still don't know why so many are stuck to desktop itself, I see it maybe 2 -3 times a day, never had any use for gadgets either, it meant that i had to close all open windows (and sometimes there's plenty of them) just to see any gadget. Miss only Aero but because of looks only and would never go to any extent to get that back.
Sometimes, it seems to me that most people just sit there all day just looking at and admire a nice picture they placed on desktop. Start page can be set as menu for all the desktop programs and be just a click away without having to close and than open windows.

 

[nonono]

Yep, gadgets are useless for me too, you can always see time in taskbar, and other things are just useless.

 

[HippsieGypsie]

Welcome to Windows EightForums, nonono.

Anyway, windows is getting dumber. Its all those little details that is destroying good windows name, ……..

It may seem like that to you or any other techie, but actually MS/Windows is getting smarter.

Have you ever worked in a tech company support department? Let me give you an example right off the bat. I have a nephew that works for AT&T in the cellular division. As you know, AT&T had the exclusive sales contract for the first iPhone. That encompassed a certain amount of support. People would be calling/contacting support with such problems with things such as calls being cut short due to faulty antennae design, the battery doesn’t hold a charge, “How do I do this?”, “How do I do that?” etc. Items that really had nothing to do with their AT&T cellular service. Needless to say that they lost their butts on the exclusive.

Basically the same with MS. How much do you think it cost MS for support that really has to do with OEMs faulty drivers and/or software and/or users messing with their systems? A lot, so they at least started moving items so as to be more difficult to change.

…….like disabling uac now requires editing registry, …..

Not all true. A Registry edit is needed, but can also be performed by option 2 here: http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/41141-uac-enable-disable-built-administrator-account.html. UAC is one of the most important security features of Windows. Again, MS made it difficult to turn off and for good reason. Dangerous to swich it off IMO.

…….sharing internet via wifi can be done via cmd only……..

Simply not true. Control Panel > Network and sharing center > Click on the WiFi connection > Properties > Sharing tab > Check the box “Allow other people to connect through this computer’s Internet connection”.

………………plus you cannot simply connect to any wifi spot, ……

What on earth are you stating here?! You must be kidding, right?

…….and so on. Its not enough now to bring start menu back, its only 1/100 things that needs to be fixed.

A lot of us have learned and use the system as is. We find it to be very efficient, so we don’t need no stinkin’ Start Menu or alter it in any way.

Could you please list the other 96 items? We would be more than happy to teach you the system.

 

[jimbo45]

I still don't know why so many are stuck to desktop itself, I see it maybe 2 -3 times a day, never had any use for gadgets either, it meant that i had to close all open windows (and sometimes there's plenty of them) just to see any gadget. Miss only Aero but because of looks only and would never go to any extent to get that back.
Sometimes, it seems to me that most people just sit there all day just looking at and admire a nice picture they placed on desktop. Start page can be set as menu for all the desktop programs and be just a click away without having to close and than open windows.

Hi there

(No offence please) - but if you aren't using the desktop you IMO obviously haven't worked in say things like Advertising/ Marketing, Engineering, Video production, Journalism, Stock Market Trading, FOREX, Professional Photography, Publishing, Research and development where things like CAD are used, Planning, Logistics, Architecture -- and a whole slew of other stuff.

Maybe at HOME if people want basically just to do casual surfing, email and watch a movie or two then understandable - but there's a whole host of stuff out there that needs fully desktop compliant computers - and usually these days with SEVERAL monitors too.

Actually in some cases "gadgets" could be quite useful -- for example in journalism you might want a video ticker for the latest stuff coming out of the agencies, or for Stock trading you would want real time display of specific stocks - although you probably would be using level 2 real time displays !!.

I get the impression that because some people don't see the need for a "feature" they dismiss it as useless. That's probably the trouble with the Internet and Google today -- it's very easy to get small pieces of info very quickly but often "the bigger picture" can get missed.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[paulsalter]

Sorry if this has been mentioned, but how would this change affect people who use touch and mouse on the same device

eg
80% of the time I use my laptop with a mouse, so this change doesn't make much difference
The other 20% of the time I will use my laptop using the touch interface (this change looks a lot harder too use)

I assume it will know the difference between a touch only device and a mouse only one and give the designed layout, but some devices use both these options

 

[nonono]

Here we are talking about windows, i didnt say that other companies are able to make smart decisions, god no. I said, that microsoft with windows 8 made many bad decisions, instead of improving rock solid windows 7 base, they decided to chase butterflies and do that mobile ui for desktops and other bad decisions. Again, that wouldnt had gone so bad, if they would gave people a choise from the very beginning, or did like apple - same kernel and stuff, but different ui and so on for mobile devices and desktop. They became so smart, that they gone dumb again.

From Turn your Windows 8.1 PC into a Wifi Router/Hotspot via Connectify
"The users who have recently upgraded from Windows 7/8 to 8.1 will notice that there are no ad hoc WI-Fi connections available in it. They will not find the user interface to set up their ad hoc connection in the Network and Sharing Center."
There is no more a way to connect or create ad hoc network via GUI, you must use cmd.

And no, i will not tech you robots how to adopt to other people needs, i am fully capable of deciding what i want to use, and will not use what other people want me to use. Its like a magic trick, if you know how to do it, then you know, but if you dont, then your mind just blows up every time you see that trick Same about things, that ms screwed in windows, if you notice them, then you know them, if you dont, then there is no point in discussing about it.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there.

sounds like a bit of an angry post for a new member -- actually one of the point of discussions is to perhaps make companies like Ms aware of decisions that are not good. I'm sure we've all been in situations where you've said to colleagues "The Management doesn't have a clue". Often people at the top really don't understand what people who actually USE the stuff they put out really want - and are often guided by slick talking salesmen and marketing rep(tiles).

I don't mind helping where I can people how to use stuff or find features that may have been moved or removed from the OS. Education is always an ongoing process --if we all knew the whole kybosh there wouldn't actually be any NEED for the forums to exist in the first place - but I'm sure 1000's of satisfied users who have been helped by these forums(including me) are really glad they are here.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[alphanumeric]

I still don't know why so many are stuck to desktop itself, I see it maybe 2 -3 times a day, never had any use for gadgets either, it meant that i had to close all open windows (and sometimes there's plenty of them) just to see any gadget. Miss only Aero but because of looks only and would never go to any extent to get that back.
Sometimes, it seems to me that most people just sit there all day just looking at and admire a nice picture they placed on desktop. Start page can be set as menu for all the desktop programs and be just a click away without having to close and than open windows.

I have three monitors, so depending on what I'm doing, one may be idle. The Start Menu won't open on that screen automatically so I may as well have a nice background showing. If I let the PC boot to the Metro Start Screen my other two monitors will just have a solid blue background, even if I set the Start Screen to use my Desktop Wallpaper as a background. So I boot to desktop. I don't pin anything to my desktop. The stuff I use everyday is on my Taskbar. Other frequently used Apps and Programs are on my Main Start Menu. I usually run my Metro Apps on one monitor and Desktop Programs on the other two. I don't use the live tiles much, I'd have to open the Start menu to see them so I'd rather just launch the App. When I get my laptop out its a big reality check. I'm back to switching open windows, trying to remember key board short cuts, etc. I have to change the way I do things. None of my PC's have a touch screen, I don't think I would ever use it unless it was a tablet with no keyboard.

 

[CountMike]

I still don't know why so many are stuck to desktop itself, I see it maybe 2 -3 times a day, never had any use for gadgets either, it meant that i had to close all open windows (and sometimes there's plenty of them) just to see any gadget. Miss only Aero but because of looks only and would never go to any extent to get that back.
Sometimes, it seems to me that most people just sit there all day just looking at and admire a nice picture they placed on desktop. Start page can be set as menu for all the desktop programs and be just a click away without having to close and than open windows.

Hi there

(No offence please) - but if you aren't using the desktop you IMO obviously haven't worked in say things like Advertising/ Marketing, Engineering, Video production, Journalism, Stock Market Trading, FOREX, Professional Photography, Publishing, Research and development where things like CAD are used, Planning, Logistics, Architecture -- and a whole slew of other stuff.

Maybe at HOME if people want basically just to do casual surfing, email and watch a movie or two then understandable - but there's a whole host of stuff out there that needs fully desktop compliant computers - and usually these days with SEVERAL monitors too.

Actually in some cases "gadgets" could be quite useful -- for example in journalism you might want a video ticker for the latest stuff coming out of the agencies, or for Stock trading you would want real time display of specific stocks - although you probably would be using level 2 real time displays !!.

I get the impression that because some people don't see the need for a "feature" they dismiss it as useless. That's probably the trouble with the Internet and Google today -- it's very easy to get small pieces of info very quickly but often "the bigger picture" can get missed.

Cheers
jimbo

No offense taken but I was talking about I was talking about Desktop itself (like in: pretty picture with other smaller pretty pictures stuck to it), not desktop applications, programs. I did and do use a lot of programs, including AutoCad, some 3D architectural programs, DTP, video restructuring programs and occasionally a game or two. That's where 2 monitors come handy, 3 would be even better and all that without seeing desktop much of the time (see my desktop definition above). There's many a way to start and switch between applications without going to desktop itself.
For DTP, for instance, I open MS publisher on one monitor and graphic program, text editor, color palette program and picture base on the other. Not a trace of desktop there.
Autocad on one monitor and 3D renderer on the other. Still no desktop whole day if I'm busy with those programs long time.
Spending time on internet on one monitor and watching TV on the other and again, no desktop to be seen. Oh yeah, another thing, half see thru clock always on top of one display. New e-mail comes and small window pops up and so does message from Skype or G-Talk and Pidgin.
Still have few folders thematically sorted shortcuts for programs but that's just because I used to do it like that on previous versions of Windows and find myself using that arrangement very rarely. There are RSS tickers that can run on the top of any screen so someone that needs constant news updates without having to drop to desktop to look at a gadget.
I'm still and will be what looks like for long time be stuck with using desktop programs for a long time or at least until programs i need are made in Apps fashion.

 

[HippsieGypsie]

Not quite sure for it’s two posts behind mine, but I’ll take it you’re directing your post at me.

Here we are talking about windows, i didnt say that other companies are able to make smart decisions, god no. I said, that microsoft with windows 8 made many bad decisions, instead of improving rock solid windows 7 base, they decided to chase butterflies and do that mobile ui for desktops and other bad decisions. Again, that wouldnt had gone so bad, if they would gave people a choise from the very beginning, or did like apple - same kernel and stuff, but different ui and so on for mobile devices and desktop. They became so smart, that they gone dumb again.

I was merely giving example of costly service departments. We’re talking saving $millions$ here. You sound distraught about this whole affair. I’m wondering why you’re running 8.1 if you dislike it so much. W7 is still rock solid and will be serviced until January 14, 2020. Windows lifecycle fact sheet - Microsoft Windows Help

Actually I thought W8 was a great OS and would have been greater had it gone on, but MS had to appease those that obviously have a difficult time adapting to too drastic of change, so they released 8.1 and added options. One being the option to boot to the Desktop app/portal. It seems to have satisfied many, although it does seem no matter what MS does it won’t please everyone. Heck, the title of this thread is about returning the Start Menu and some posters here complain about how it MIGHT look. Geez. Perhaps MS should sell a license for the NT kernel (like an auto engine) and sell licenses for all the rest of the components one desires to run off the kernel. Kind of like “Build your own OS” like a box of Legos.

You seem to know a lot about business. If MS went on to creating another solely designated desktop OS, who would they sell it to? The general public aren’t buying tower PCs any longer. That market is declining last I checked. They want mobile devices and that’s what they’re buying. Do you think it wise to create a product to sell to a certain percentage of customers you have that won’t or aren’t going to buy it? Also, I think it to be a great business decision to get one OS to run across all devices.

From Turn your Windows 8.1 PC into a Wifi Router/Hotspot via Connectify
"The users who have recently upgraded from Windows 7/8 to 8.1 will notice that there are no ad hoc WI-Fi connections available in it. They will not find the user interface to set up their ad hoc connection in the Network and Sharing Center."
There is no more a way to connect or create ad hoc network via GUI, you must use cmd.

You should have specified ad hoc. Ok. It still exists and one can configure it, so what’s the beef?

And no, i will not tech you robots how to adopt to other people needs, i am fully capable of deciding what i want to use, and will not use what other people want me to use. Its like a magic trick, if you know how to do it, then you know, but if you dont, then your mind just blows up every time you see that trick Same about things, that ms screwed in windows, if you notice them, then you know them, if you dont, then there is no point in discussing about it.

No need to call names. As Jimbo45 mentioned, you sound angry over this whole thing. Are you sure you know what you want or is someone forcing you to use it? I suggest you either stick to 7 or make 8.1 as close to it with 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] party software as others around here do.

BTW, the 60’s and 70’s blew my mind. It’s been kind of boring since then.

One last thing. I looked into this. You may want to as well. Big change ahead

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there

@HippsieGypsie

Agree it's never been the same since IBM MVS/370 (Mainframe OS -- running on a PC with Hercules Emulator !!! and Windows 1.01. !!!!!


Any old time IBM Sysprogs still around. !!

Cheers
jimbo

 

[HippsieGypsie]

That's about a dozen years before my computer days. I did have a friend that worked for a large insurance company in the mid 70's where he gave me a tour of the 2nd floor. Rows and rows of IBM mainframes. I remember the heat was almost unbearable. He was the intermediary between the company and other companies that leased the computers to use at night.

Look what I found with a Bing search. The Internet is an amazing place. And on the IBM site no less. IBM DATABASE 2 (DB2) RELEASE 1 IS ANNOUNCED

I'd like to invite you and others to post your memories and/or story here: http://www.eightforums.com/chillout-room/7538-personal-computer-related-memories-i-remember.html

 

[Rickkins]

Before mine too. I came in at 3.0, with my amd 386dx, with 4 megs of ram and a 170 meg hard drive.

And a 14.4 modem. Oh yes, I was determined to get on the web.

My freakin phone has more power than that now.

 

[Edwin]

[h=1]Start Menu will reportedly return to Windows 8.1 this fall[/h]
If I were an MS Developer, this would be my contribution to the Windows 8.2 Control Panel:

View attachment 42534

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there

I'm sure things like that are ALREADY on the developers computers in Redmond or wherever Windows code is developed these days. !!!

Cheers
jimbo

 

[CountMike]

Start Menu will reportedly return to Windows 8.1 this fall


If I were an MS Developer, this would be my contribution to the Windows 8.2 Control Panel:

View attachment 42534

You forgot "IGNORE" button.