It's officially CONFIRMED?Default boot directly to desktop

[Phone Man]

The Start Menu is dead, the Start Page is here to stay with a number of tweaks.

Jim

That's what they said about default boot to desktop as well.

Things change...and of course a little humility at MS doesn't hurt either.

It's not in 8.1 so don't bank on it coming back.

Jim

 

[legacy7955]

The Start Menu is dead, the Start Page is here to stay with a number of tweaks.

Jim

That's what they said about default boot to desktop as well.

Things change...and of course a little humility at MS doesn't hurt either.

It's not in 8.1 so don't bank on it coming back.

Jim

The final RTM is not here yet, so never say never. The productivity geeks are everywhere and they use it a lot, so it would only help MS at this point. Like I said they don't have to make it the default selection, just give those that need it the option.

 

[SIW2]

(1) We know for a fact that for any product at all when people are happy or neutral with their satisfaction level then they don't say anything at all. The slightly unsatisfied people also tend not to say anything. It's the very unsatisfied people who will go online and blaster their unsatisfaction all over the place. Many of these unsatisfied souls often exaggerate what they are unsatisfied with.

I would agree that those who feel strongly are more likely to go to the effort of e.g writing in about it. The rest of it - not necessarily.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B0088PUEPK/ref=cm_cr_pr_top_link_1?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0

(2) I have not met one person who are as unhappy as you guys with windows 8. Not one. Almost all are indifferent with the UI changes.

Most people I know well enough to know what machines what they have are using Macs. I don't take that to mean that most people everywhere are using Macs. In addition, I know they are using Macs because I have seen them. I am not projecting my own bias onto what I think they think.

(3) Windows 8 didn't cause the PC sales slump. PC sales took a nose dive long before windows 8 came onto the scene.

What do you base that on - what is a nosedive? Did it get considerably worse after the arrival of 8?

What's causing the PC slump is the ever expanding smartphone and tablet market .

You are presenting that as if it is the sole cause - what do you base it on?

People like to blame windows 8 because it's got a face on it

Is that your opinion?

(4) Why aren't enterprises upgrading to windows 8? Because windows 7 is more than adequate for enterprises. Techies love the idea that companies like to stay with the latest and greatest. But the reality is money talks. Businesses just haven't found good enough reasons to upgrade to 8 yet. In our test lab, all the machines still run on windows xp. Does this mean we think vista or 7 are crap? Of course not. There's just never a need for upgrade in those systems.

I am referring to the consumer market.

 

[Coke Robot]

It's one less click, and a few seconds saved booting to the interface we want to use. I have no interest in a touch UI for my PC.

Like many other users feel, why should I be forced to manually click past metro to get where I want to go and was seconds watching the metro start screen switch to the desktop? I never had to deal with that in previous versions of Windows, and don't want to bother with it now.

I'm relieved, not to mention that when you do boot directly into the desktop you get the good old start button (and menu) just like in previous versions. Problems solved.

You were already using a touch UI called Windows 7...

 

[ARC1020]

I see various articles saying many different things but can someone direct me to the "horses mouth" where officials from MicroSoft confirm that the option to default boot direct to the desktop is in fact a reality in Windows 8.1?

Thanks!

Back in April some Russians discovered a line of code in a preview version which indicated that Microsoft were going to implement a boot to desktop feature, however Microsoft never officially confirmed it. Although, a Windows blog has now confirmed it.

What
"Boot to Desktop - we have made configuration options available which will allow you to boot directly to the desktop in Windows 8.1."

 

[intrepid]

Finally! I always wanted to boot to desktop

 

[SpyderBite]

Spend $10 over at Stardock and be done with the whole boot to desktop and start button issue.

I'd wager majority of Wiindows users didn't purchase Windows 8 as an independent purchase but rather received it pre-installed on their PC.

Spend the 10 bucks.. You got the OS for free after all.

In 35 years it still never ceases to amaze me that people are more likely to complain than they are to find and utilize a simple work around.

 

[Coke Robot]

This whole cheering of boot to the Desktop feature, it KIND of underscores the fact the start menu itself isn't terribly needed. The way I'm seeing is that some people do things on the Desktop obviously (not that you can't very easily use the Start Screen to have Desktop items) and prefer to go to that UI, because I'm thinking that there are pinned items to the Taskbar? That's my only logical guess other than just simple preference.

 

[DavidY]

This whole cheering of boot to the Desktop feature, it KIND of underscores the fact the start menu itself isn't terribly needed. The way I'm seeing is that some people do things on the Desktop obviously (not that you can't very easily use the Start Screen to have Desktop items) and prefer to go to that UI, because I'm thinking that there are pinned items to the Taskbar? That's my only logical guess other than just simple preference.

Yeah I think you're probably right.

I certainly prefer to have my most frequently used apps on the Taskbar as it's faster than going across to the Start Screen and searching for something I use several times a day (eg. I'm forever opening Notepad for a quick task, then close it).

The thing I really don't understand is this.

It's often quoted that Microsoft removed the Start menu because their Customer Experience Improvement Program telemetry revealed that customers don't use the Start Menu but pin things to the Taskbar instead.

If this is so, why can't I see that Taskbar and those pinned items when I'm in the Start Screen or a Start Screen apps?

Microsoft seem to make a big thing of it, and then they are ignoring their own research by removing the pinnable Taskbar in the shiny new part of the operating system that they presumably want people to use. I don't understand this...

 

[SIW2]

DavidY
It's often quoted that Microsoft removed the Start menu because their Customer Experience Improvement Program telemetry revealed that customers don't use the Start Menu but pin things to the Taskbar instead.

That is not why they removed the start menu. It was a deliberate move to force the users into metro.

 

[HippsieGypsie]

DavidY
It's often quoted that Microsoft removed the Start menu because their Customer Experience Improvement Program telemetry revealed that customers don't use the Start Menu but pin things to the Taskbar instead.

That is not why they removed the start menu. It was a deliberate move to force the users into metro.

http://www.eightforums.com/windows-8-news/2886-designing-start-screen.html

I need say no more.

 

[pparks1]

We don't know that the overwhelming majority of users agree with you. There's no data on it. All we have are a few loud mouths that don't like metro.

if I were the type to really get worked up personally on Internet forums, I think I might be offended that I've probably been lumped into this loudmouth group.

I've said this before, and I'll say it again. In real life I've not met a single person who's so angry at windows 8 as some people on here. Everybody I know who uses windows 8 are either happy with it or indifferent about it. Real people don't care about the UI changes. They will use whatever software that came with the PC they bought.

I work for a software company. We have customer service reps who are talking to our software users. There is a lot of negativity out there about 8. Businesses and individuals have gotten new computers with 8 and have been unhappy about it and have moved back to 7 or XP. I hear our own customer service people badmouthing Windows 8....even though they honestly have almost no personal experience with it. I've got friends and family who have expressed an interest in getting a new computer, but are hesitant because of what they have heard with Windows 8. I really don't think the overwhelming majority of home users are truly as happy go lucky as you think.

Haha, funny stuff there.

Still do not know a person other than myself using w8 personally. Not a single clan member will go near it, the few that did months ago tossed it after a day or two and none of them have any intention of trying any other version of w8, blue, 8.1 or whatever foolishness MS comes up with next.

Yeah, I have heard quite a bit of this as well. I've had people practically laugh at me when they find out I am running Windows 8. I've found myself actually having to defend and explain to them why Windows truly isn't that bad.

This whole cheering of boot to the Desktop feature, it KIND of underscores the fact the start menu itself isn't terribly needed. The way I'm seeing is that some people do things on the Desktop obviously (not that you can't very easily use the Start Screen to have Desktop items) and prefer to go to that UI, because I'm thinking that there are pinned items to the Taskbar? That's my only logical guess other than just simple preference.

I just want the desktop, plain and simple. I don't want a radically different shift between my desktop and normal application area and the flashy screen showing me my apps. It's just clunky. And I prefer the menu of applications to be available while leaving my other applications which are running visable.

I've come around to search from the start screen. However, I want to choose WHEN to use it. And that is the way I have Start8 setup. When I press the start button the keyboard, I have the Start Screen come up, type what I want and then I'm back to the desktop. However, sometimes I want the start menu and that is why that is what I get when I click in the lower left corner, I get the menu that I WANT. More often than not, I want the menu and not the screen. But what I really want....the CHOICE to decide which works for me. Like so many of us loudmouths have said, it's the lack of choice which is really the underlying issue.

 

[legacy7955]

But what I really want....the CHOICE to decide which works for me. Like so many of us loudmouths have said, it's the lack of choice which is really the underlying issue.

This!

If the product can fend for itself (because it is good) then there is NO reason NOT to give the customers a choice in this matter.

I personally find myself wanting to use the start menu because it is fast and easy for me. Let choice of options prove to me that something different is superior.

 

[ARC1020]

In the Taskbar settings, they've added a new tab called 'Navigation', which includes the setting 'Go to desktop instead of Start when I sign in'. Here's a screenshot showing the setting:

 

[brummyfan]

In the Taskbar settings, they've added a new tab called 'Navigation', which includes the setting 'Go to desktop instead of Start when I sign in'. Here's a screenshot showing the setting:

View attachment 22775

That's an excellent solution for desktop users, I prefer to go straight to desktop without bothering the touch GUI (Metro) which I hardly use.

 

[Dirty Butter]

Thanks for the screenshot. Been looking for this for quite a while today!