Want a Windows 8 Start Button? Open source to the rescue!

'Classic Shell' can banish Interface Formerly Known As Metro
By Simon Sharwood,

Windows 8 users need not do without a Start button, thanks to an open source application titled Classic Shell that can banish the Interface Formerly Known As Metro (TIFKAM).

El Reg's antipodean lab installed Classic Shell on a Windows 8 RTM virtual machine running under Oracle VirtualBox on Mac OS 10.7.4. We can report that the application installed without a hint of trouble, and as soon as we clicked in its shell-like Start button we were offered a nice set of options to arranged Windows 8 so that it resembled versions of Windows past.

SOURCE
 

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    Windows and Linux enthusiast. Logitech G35 Headset.
The article is funny:

can report that if Windows 8 is inflicted upon you, it'll do a job.

The comments are worth a peek, too:

More likely an update will come which makes metro tolerable to desktop users.

I think they'll fix it eventually and maybe people will wonder what the fuss is about but metro as it stands sucks on a desktop and does a piddle poor job of replacing what came before.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7/8/ubuntu/Linux Deepin
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
I've never used any third-party program. I don't know what's wrong with me, but if it isn't a built-in feature, it's near impossible for me to use it. Classic Shell's settings don't look like they are native to the Windows 8 interface at all, and even if I use a skin for the start menu in my mind I know it isn't identical to the Windows 7 start menu, and I can't use it.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Home Premuim x64 & Windows 8 Enterprise RTM x64
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavilion dv6
    CPU
    Intel Core i3
    Memory
    4GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Other Info
    My laptop is my only computer. It is about 2 years old.
I use Start8 from Stardock. It does not replace the original Start Screen but adds a Start button with a few added features.
The original rollover Start is still there. Has an option to boot to Desktop and also a Shutdown button. It has 5 choices as to the size of the Start Screen, from default Full screen to 4 smaller. They all have scroll bars at the bottom. My screen shot is with the Tall selection.

Screenshot (4).png

Jim :cool:
 

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  • OS
    Windows 7 HP 64bit, Windows 8.1 Pro w/Media Center 64BIT
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS - Home Built
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    AMD Phenom II X6 1100T
    Motherboard
    ASUS M5A99X EVO
    Memory
    Crucial Balistic DDR-3 1866 CL 9 (8 GB)
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    MSI R6850 Cyclone IGD5 PE
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    On Chip
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    ASUS VE258Q 25" LED with DVI-HDMI-DisplayPort
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Two WD Cavier Black 2TB Sata 6gbs
    WD My Book Essential 2TB USB 3.0
    PSU
    Seasonic X650 80 Plus GOLD Modular
    Case
    Corsair 400R
    Cooling
    Antec Kuhler H2O 620, Two 120mm and four 140mm
    Keyboard
    AVS Gear Blue LED Backlight
    Mouse
    Logitech Marble Mouse USB, Logitech Precision Game Pad
    Internet Speed
    15MB
    Antivirus
    NIS, Malwarebytes Premium 2
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    APC UPS ES 750, Netgear WNR3500L Gigabit & Wireless N Router with SamKnows Test Program,
    Motorola SB6120 Gigabit Cable Modem.
    Brother HL-2170W Laser Printer,
    Epson V300 Scanner
I just use the Start Screen. :cool:
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS
    CPU
    AMD FX 8320
    Motherboard
    Crosshair V Formula-Z
    Memory
    16 gig DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS R9 270
    Screen Resolution
    1440x900
    Hard Drives
    1 TB Seagate Barracuda (starting to hate Seagate)
    x2 3 TB Toshibas
    Windows 8.1 is installed on a SanDisk Ultra Plus 256 GB
    PSU
    OCZ 500 watt
    Case
    A current work in progres as I'll be building the physical case myself. It shall be fantastic.
    Cooling
    Arctic Cooler with 3 heatpipes
    Keyboard
    Logitech K750 wireless solar powered keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Touch Mouse
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, but I might go back on KIS 2014
Start screen may be suitable for a tablet.

Worse than useless on a desktop.

But then , it is not a desktop o/s - it is a tablet o/s.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7/8/ubuntu/Linux Deepin
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
How is the start screen useless on a desktop? I think my arrangement for the start screen shows its usefulness. Note that while I do have some cloud/web apps, I also use Office and Hyper-V.
 

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My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows Server 2012 Standard w/Hyper-V
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP ProBook 4430s
    CPU
    Intel Core i3-2310M
    Memory
    16GB DDR3
    Hard Drives
    80GB Intel 320 SSD
    500GB Samsung Momentus
Only as often as it takes for you to understand.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7/8/ubuntu/Linux Deepin
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
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