http://www.zdnet.com/windows-8-1-unveil ... 000016112/

I've read a few articles which all say the same thing... and then a load of inane arguments in the comments by people who haven't actually read the article slagging W8.1 off because it "doesn't do things" which it actually does just fine. Seriously, don't read the comments. You will learn nothing.

It sounds like a worthy update. The multi-screen support is something that was very lacking in 8.0 and much else has been tweaked and improved.

No, there's no start menu. Get used to it. Also, remember that falling back on start8 or whatever just means will find yourself getting lost on PCs in the work environment. Maybe not this year, but soon enough it's going to be as ubiquitous as W7 was last year.

I think this is a general rule of the internet, isn't it?

I always wonder how long a thread on Microsoft operating systems go before it is Godwinned.


The lack of a start menu does not harm OSX users so it really should not be an issue for Windows users. It is just a matter of adapting to new ways of launching apps.

Don't you mean reverting to the old way of launching apps, or programs, as they used to be called. Remember that, before 1995, Windows didn't have a start menu and a lot of people made the same kinds of noise that they are making today...

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I can't remember that period, it is in my dead zone. Though there are many ways to launch apps, in fact Apple's LaunchPad is just like a crowded desktop. I do not use that much and have the most used apps in my dock and can launch others via app launchers, such as Namely, Albert, Silverlight? even Spotlight can be used. The fact that Windows users seem to hate change would explain why they have so many problems. You cannot please everyone. The fact that Microsoft are trying to improve the OS is good and why can't the user base see that?

It's not just Windows users. People, generally speaking, don't like change, whether it be removing/replacing start buttons, changing pound notes to coins, or even getting rid of pounds, shillings and pence, or anything else for that matter.

Can anyone think of one major innovation that has been enthusiastically embraced, from day one, by the majority?

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Exactly, when the Start Menu appeared, a lot of people moaned that it was the work of the devil and they wanted their Program Manager back, now Microsoft has finally listened people moan!

What I thought was really hypocritical was Jon Honeyball on PC Pro, he used to be their prime reporter on all things Microsoft, but over the last couple of years, he has moved over to OS X as his primary OS. He was moaning about the lack of a Start Menu in Windows 8, saying that it made Windows unusable, unless you install Start8.

If that is the case, how on Earth did he ever manage to use a [LIFTED] Macintosh? [LIFTED] hypocrite! I always had a lot of respect for Jon and his knowledge of all things IT and Microsoft in particular, but that article was such a piece of utter rubbish that I no longer have that confidence and respect of what he writes, which is a shame.

Coke? Gotta be Coke

What does 8 actually do that 7 won't? If it's not much, it's no wonder people start off thinking 'That's crap, why change?' after all these years.

Lol, in work we'd have to minimise god knows how many windows if we lost the start button - there's no show desktop button somehow and the progs are ancient. This is despite being on Vista...

Windows key + D shows the desktop.

Oh, hang on... My keyboard doesn't have a Windows key

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Nor do ours! And it would probably be locked down anyway - our USB ports don't work in any fashion, can't adjust the volume etc etc.

Drag the mouse to the bottom left and it brings up the desktop window/icon. Click on it and you're in the desktop.

As a mac user who switched from Windows and who has probably the best ever reason for not changing things ie I struggle to learn the new way of doing things. Even I had a few problems switching to macs but the lack of a start button was not on that list. I can only assume that Start8 is an app launcher of some kind? If so then that is what I use on my macs. When I switched there were already a number of ways to do things without needing to use the start menu.


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In Vista?

Ah, sorry, thought we were talking about windows 8!

Start8 mimics the Start button and Start menu, it is a crutch for those who feel lost in Windows 8.