Editorial: Why Windows 8 Start Menu's Absence is Irrelevant

Here's the thing:
1) Windows 7 is a desktop workhorse that succeeded. Millions and millions of users are on that platform. The desktop platform is not where the current high growth rate is taking place but it's huge install base is a force to be reckoned with (and tapped).
2) Windows 8 is a tablet / mobile OS that can be used on a desktop with a marked change in appearance and user interface from previous OS's. Tablets / mobile device are the high growth segment in the PC environment today.
3) Both have their place.
4) One size does not fit all - never has, never will. The more you appeal to one, the less you appeal to the other.

Eh, what? I don't follow. People probably click the start button a couple of times a day at most.

Everyone talk about the missing start button, but for me the most anoying "new feature" is that all new metro apps are fullscreen. You can't find a better way to utilise a 30 inch monitor with a 2560x1400 resolution than to display a calculator. What is anoying ? well I can't display all the windows I want on the screen at the same time.

I could imagine it too. It would probably simplify things for him. Suddenly all his apps are on one screen, not on the desktop hidden by windows or lost somewhere in the start menu. And metro apps will probably also help.

Really, if he still has to look at notes then I'm sure the change won't hurt him much. Only problem is that he'll have to write new notes, and you'll have to tell him how to do things, which will force you to learn Windows 8. I can see what that would be a hassle for you. My father is still stuck on XP, and I see no reason to move him from there.

Can't wait for the next article of the series:

"Why Windows 8 is irrelevant"

fugettaboutit- I'm waiting for Vista 3

But you saved more time than that by not having to click where once you used to have to.

Written by an obvious Microsoft Employee.

I've been Testing Win 8 for about a year now and I can say without a doubt that the Metro Interface is a terrible idea. It takes twice as long to get anything done as it does for Win 7, and dont even think about trying to Multitask.

Massive +1 to this and the article. People are wayyyy over reacting.

I dont know where you got that BS information, but no one clicks their start button 400+ times per day.

That is BAD MATHS!

427 clicks a day (I don’t know how/why you rounded it down to 426)

427 clicks for every 24 hours

427/24 hours= 17.79 clicks per hour

17.79/60 minutes= 0.2965 clicks a minute

1 min ==> 0.2965 clicks

3.37237 min ==> 1 click

Assuming that each click (or one extra click) takes 3.372 minutes per day:

3.37237 minutes a day x 365 days = 1230.91505 minutes a year = 20.5 hours a year more than you would without the extra click

or a bit less than half of your estimate.

(Please correct me if I’m wrong)

Clearly assuming that each click takes 3.372 minutes is pretty inaccurate. It probably makes sense if you take it as a whole day, but if you take it on a per minute basis then it doesn’t really make sense. Also, you will be making that extra click more than once a day so the average may be a bit less than it’s supposed to (if you were to use proper data instead of using 3.37 minutes a click).

Anyway, I personally am not bothered by that extra click (but I am bothered by wrong maths!) and I personally think that Techspot users waste more time reading guest comments than they would if they were to make one extra click! Also having an extra click does not necessarily mean that it’s going to waste your time more. Imagine I had one folder containing hundreds of articles based on different topics. Now imagine I put the articles into folders named after the topic each article is based on. Without arranging them, the number of clicks would be smaller, but the time consumed would be much larger, when I’m searching for a certain file. If they are organized into folders then the time taken would be less, despite requiring an extra click...

Anyway, Thanks Techspot for writing this article. I’ve been hoping that some non-Windows8-Hater would eventually write an article about the misconceptions people have surrounding Windows 8.

People! Just modify Windows 8. I've bypassed Metro, Installed Classic Shell ( "light" 3rd Party Start Button/Menu ) and BAM, Windows 8 is just like the others, I like 8 modified like this as I find 8 to be faster than 7.

"You know what's irrelevant? This 'article' (if you can call this an article, more like propaganda)"

My thoughts exactly.

Funny reading this article, all the hate, the love, the unknown. The best part is its all based on personal opinions, you can't argue with someones opinion, if that's the way they want to look at it then so be it. I personally am going to avoid windows 8 until someone comes out with a tool that brings the start menu back, I can't stand the big goofy metro BS. Knowing it was designed for a touch interface just makes it that much harder to swallow, I don't actually know the percentage of desktop users with a touchscreen but its sure to be low, less then 10% easily. Fine tablets are going somewhere, but I'm not going there, I'm keeping my desktops and I'm keeping my start menu the way it is. If it means not downgrading to windows 8, all the better. And the resource argument is becoming more and more irrelevant as computers become faster and faster, I've tried windows 8 and I don't like it. People aren't over reacting, Microsoft just screwed up by not giving people the option to keep things the way they were.

Ive had two problems with win 8 consumer preview and non with the start menu. Both problems are with gae, all my other applications work. Crysis 2 doesn't work in dx11 and surprise surprise Game For Windows Live doesn't work in windows 8 which makes game that use it for save games and dlc unplayable.

While the metro interface is different and none of the apps are that great I have no problems with the lack start menu on my desktop. I picked up the new flow in under an hour and everything is easy to find.

Most people don't like change and yes many of them may have overreacted to the changes made with Windows 8, though that doesn't make they wrong. Computers should be tools for the user and the user should be able to customize layouts that will make them most productive. Microsoft seems to be following Apple in this case by forcing a tablet GUI on all users. Metro just like the Ribbon interface is a change that some users will love, some will hate but most will complain about until they figure it out and it becomes the new norm. That doesn't make the interfaces better, it just means people need to learn and adapt to the computer rather than the other way around. It's like moving the steering wheel of your car to the other side, does it make things better or worse or just different? Again, as humans we can adapt and overcome but is this the best way to go or maybe allowing choice of a GUI would be best. In this specific case, if only Microsoft built a bridge to a destination then maybe people would follow rather than waking up and finding the steering wheel has been moved.

@ uvindu

To be honest I just copy and pasted that from the internets...dont have the time nor inclination to work the numbers myself.

Concise version : windows 8 = more clicks = more time taken= less productivity.

I still like it... I use a windows phone and like the Metro look. I think people are making a bigger deal out of this then it really is. What makes metro any different then any other mobile/computing OS? Wasn't apple one time thinking about putting iOS interface on their Mac OS? I bet if they did it first, or even second, people would go up in arms for it. Honestly, until you have truly used it and give it an honest test that doesn't involve outside opinion, then you really need to just SHUT UP. Currently, I am on day 56 with Windows 8 and I still love it and can't wait till NFC integration between my phone and computer.

I really like it too. I think it really comes to life on a touchscreen device, but I've also found it easy enough to use on non-touch devices too. Like anything else that changes, people will get used to it - and what's particularly clever about what Microsoft have done here is that everyone is talking about it. There's no such thing as bad publicity.

I also like what they are trying to achieve in terms of being a one stop shop. Unifying everything together. Windows 8, Windows Phone 8, Office in the cloud, Skydrive. It's all looking very nicely put together. Sure, there will be bumps along the way - but as some have already said it's a work in progress. I like what I see so far though!