Survey request

[znod]

Sorry, an answer to the poll, yes I suppose it could skew the poll, but all in all the the result would indicate % of users who do or don't use a [3rd party] start menu. If they answer using your correct logic.

and

Point well taken..next time i will consider more carefully my selection of answers....

walex

Yes, the first quote from you above is another thing I was getting at--if that is really what your want to know. WRT the second, it's very difficult to construct polls/questionnaires that get at what the pollster really wants to know. If you want to classify it as such, your "mistake" was an easy one to make under the circumstances.

I am not sure how many don't use a "start" menu (i.e., either 3rd party or metro) for the most part, but maybe they will identify themselves, and, if they voted, indicate how they voted.

At this point, your poll results might be interpreted, for example, as follows:

Yes (uses a 3rd party start menu predominantly) = 6
No (uses metro start menu predominantly) = 7 less 1 or 2 = 6 or 5
No (uses something else predominantly, e.g., a toolbar of shortcuts) = 1 or 2

Of course, this interpretation is not completely without problem.

 

[mbratch]

http://www.eightforums.com/general-...s-8-users-you-using-3rd-party-start-menu.html

Someone did a poll awhile back.

I use Start8. I know the Windows 8 gushers all think the Start screen is a good substitute, but it's really not. With one click you have access to so many things with a start menu, not just programs. Seems like from the Start screen you either have to know what to type to find it, or go fishing, if it's not a tile visible on your screen.

 

[Vince53]

I started with Windows 3.1, and I consider Windows 8 to be the most enjoyable of all of them. But I added the Classic Shell Start Button, and I use it often.

 

[skallal]

I use Start8 and spend a lot of time in purely desktop mode. My machine a Sony VAIO Duo 11 Ultrabook/tablet. Yet somehow I've been using it as my software development machine at work. That environment is strictly desktop. Familiarity is important to me. I spend my life using Microsoft development tools, and the last thing I need is trying to struggle with where all of my programs are located.

There's probably no one on these forums who is more a fan of touch than I am. But I'm also a master of the keyboard, and can be very productive with it. Yet I find the start screen curiously lacking. For example on Android tablets, there are replacement program launchers that allow hierarchical folders. I'm beside myself wondering why Microsoft didn't think of this. Yes they do sort of have a group folder when viewing all apps, but it's only one level deep.

Microsoft still has a chance to win me over. I personally like the tiles, but I think they will have to much functionality out. I think they could still have a fully touched based start screen but yet keep some of the folder hierarchies removed from the old start button. Also the start screen does not have a scroll position memory. Often I scroll all the way to the right to select an app, yet when I go back the start screen, the tiles are all the way to the left and I have to scroll all the way to the right to get back to where I want to be. The start button and Windows 7 had that sort of scroll position memory. When you bring up the Windows 7 start button agai,n it at least scrolls so the previous folder is still visible. These are the things that I hope Microsoft addresses with the Windows Blue release. But I'm not holding my breath.

All I really do like touch and I like tiles, and yes with a mouse! My examples above show how I think that Microsoft did it halfway. They really can address some of the usability issues without throwing the whole Metro interface away. Microsoft doesn't need to backtrack, they simply need to finish the job.

 

[walex]

Yes skallal, I and others feel the same way. I feel that Microsoft should have a disclaimer when "metro" loads
as follows"WORK IN PROGRESS". It is not work friendly and more geared to " get in get out" type uses like a
phone or tablet.

walex

 

[Phone Man]

I never did like the Start Menu. Found it easier to pin my programs to the desktop. With the new Start Screen all those icons are now neatly arranged on my Start Screen and just a couple on the Task bar and now have a beautiful lady on my Desktop. Uncluttered eye candy.



Jim

 

[MrShowdown]

I vote not using a 3rd Party Start Menu.
Start Screen is far more usable and customizable that Start Menu, although I miss the start button.

 

[Max Peck]

I spent a whopping $5 on "Start 8" because the desktop looked "naked" without the orb sitting there in the corner of the task bar emitting it a nice comforting glow. No technical reason, no arguments ... I just wanted the thing and had the 5 bucks. Don't like it? Go bark up another tree! ;-) I'm old enough to do things without having to justify them to anyone.

So there!

-Max

 

[Phone Man]

I'm old enough to do things without having to justify them to anyone.

So there!

-Max

Jim

 

[Hopachi]

I don't.

The Start Screen does all the menu could do.

 

[Hopachi]

I spent a whopping $5 on "Start 8" because the desktop looked "naked" without the orb sitting there in the corner of the task bar emitting it a nice comforting glow.

I spent 0$ for this great orb:
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/17354-start-screen-shortcut-create-windows-8-a.html?filter[1]=Shortcuts
Found here in tutorials.

And yes, also to fill the left corner, sometimes I click there as well.

 

[Max Peck]

I spent a whopping $5 on "Start 8" because the desktop looked "naked" without the orb sitting there in the corner of the task bar emitting it a nice comforting glow.

I spent 0$ for this great orb:
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/17354-start-screen-shortcut-create-windows-8-a.html?filter[1]=Shortcuts
Found here in tutorials.

And yes, also to fill the left corner, sometimes I click there as well.

Good idea, but I didn't want the orb to go to the Start Screen. I paid the whopping $5 so it will present a nice, hierarchical menu. If I want the Start Screen I go to the LLH corner or tap the Window button.

-Max

 

[znod]

Curiosity drives this request to a moderator, i do not know how to properly start one, so i ask,
can a thread be started to survey who uses or does not use a third party "Start" program.
It would be interesting to see the results, just a simple Yes or No would suffice as a survey
response.

thanks
walex

This read is interesting in the context of your survey and our earlier discussion about whether your poll gets at what you really are interested in knowing. It's the first "official" read that I have seen that mentions what I did--making my own start menu. At this point, if my yes vote is simply removed from the no's, then the vote is tied 11-11. And, I imagine that another one or two voted no, while using techniques other than making their own start menus on the desktop, for use in generally avoiding the metro start screen. And, if my approach is counted equivalent to using a third party start menu app, then the vote is 12-11 right now.

 

[HippsieGypsie]

I find the Start Screen along with All Apps far superior to that "other thing".....What's it called again?

 

[Max Peck]

I find the Start Screen along with All Apps far superior to that "other thing".....What's it called again?

Linux?

-Max

 

[znod]

I find the Start Screen along with All Apps far superior to that "other thing".....What's it called again?

universe?

 

[Joan Archer]

I don't use one, I'd rather learn the features of the new OS instead of trying to make it look like an older one, what's the point of that, you might as well stick with the older one.

 

[MrShowdown]

I don't use one, I'd rather learn the features of the new OS instead of trying to make it look like an older one, what's the point of that, you might as well stick with the older one.

Totally Agree, why would you waste money on a new OS to make it look like the OS that is older (that you may have).

 

[Max Peck]

I don't use one, I'd rather learn the features of the new OS instead of trying to make it look like an older one, what's the point of that, you might as well stick with the older one.

Yeah, I guess you're right. When you buy a new car or house don't try to customize it with anything that you had before, throw it all away and start over. That furniture you spent $10 grand on? In the garbage. Same with all of your appliances and the stuff you had in the garage. After all, you need to learn everything absolutely new. If not, then you didn't really need the space (or new features) of the new house. Just go back to the old one.

I suppose I should have thrown away my copy of Office 2003, Visual Studio 2008, Active Reports and the rest of the software I spent several thousand on and buy all new stuff too, just so everything can be new. Spending $5 to put back in place (in the desktop) a menu system was foolish. Even though it was easily available and lets me customize my new system with a little bit of familiarity I should turn over a new leaf and just accept it as-is! Maybe throwing out the baby with the bathwater really is the way to go!

Thanks for your advice. I'll start saving up for the transition right away.

-Max

 

[LittleJay]

I don't use one, I'd rather learn the features of the new OS instead of trying to make it look like an older one, what's the point of that, you might as well stick with the older one.

The reason I have configured my Windows 8 Pro to run like Windows 7, is that it has features that my Windows 7 Home Edition installation does not. Windows 8 is also designed to be more secure than 7. I can run Windows 8 from the start screen, but I still prefer having the Windows 7 start menu.