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Ways to get back the Start Menu/Button in Win8


JorgeA

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What I was trying to point out is that a list with a finite number of choices is useful, as the "casual user" will have a chance (and this is freedom :thumbup ) to test each of them and then decide which one is better for him/her.

When the number of available choices becomes so big that noone in his right mind will be able to test each and every of them, it is not anymore useful and to become useful again, a smaller subset of "editor's picks" starts to be needed.

The comment was aimed at two different targets :w00t:, one being the "editor" JorgeA that might want to exit "neutrality" or "mere listing" to highlight the "best" programs or however provide a "classification" of them, the other one to any programmer that passes by and thinks - by chance - "Cool, I might write another app that does the same as one of these", the message in this case is simply "Make sure you do something new or really cool, otherwise you will have wasted your time on a non-problem as the problem has already been solved, and solved in a myriad of ways".

jaclaz,

These are good points, but going into the project I knew that I wouldn't have the time to personally test all of these utilities, and that's why I invited reviews from people who have actually used them. Readers who have tried different Start Menu replacements, please write about your experiences, good or bad!

I like the last idea you describe -- this list could serve another useful purpose by getting a programmer to think about how to avoid mere duplication, making his own Start Menu replacement do something new that the existing ones don't do.

The list is definitely starting to get unwieldy, though, so I'm thinking of putting the entries in alphabetical order. Another way to reorganize the material would be to classify it by function: "Start Menus", "Start Buttons", "Metro bypassers." What do you think of this?

--JorgeA

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One more Start Menu from Poland:

http://www.sgjps.com/en/produkty/StartForDesktop

tomasz86,

Can you contact the author and ask if the page will become available in English?

The right-hand panel on the menu will probably show in the user's selected language (correct? :unsure: ), but it would help if the installation instructions were available in "everybody's second language." ;)

--JorgeA

Edited by JorgeA
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Enterprises won't go to it because the Enterprise support cycle allows them to skip products. Its no surprise that most skipped Vista and will go to 7, its because XP extended support lasted long enough for a new OS to come out. So unless the currently accepted (and incorrect, imo) business model changes, I don't see any corporations going to Windows 8 if they don't have to.

Also a few "smart" users will do the same ;).

Play the game :whistle:

@JorgeA

The point is only about the sheer number of (unclassified) apps, for my personal tastes a 30+ alternatives list loses much of it's usefulness as "simple" list without *something* that helps the user in "choosing" which app gives "more" or simply "what the user needs/wants".

You are the "father" of this thread and it's mantainer/editor, the only thing I can recommend you is ;) :

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097216/quotes?qt=qt0362962

or, better:

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/marktwain122044.html

jaclaz

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I will avoid Win8 definitely. Instead of castrating Win7 and presenting it as Win8 they should develop Win7 SP2 and add a defrag-free file system that would have been compatible with xFAT, FAT32, NTFS, ext3 and even HFS+.

There are a lot of ways to improve an OS or develop "a new one" based on the previous.

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The point is only about the sheer number of (unclassified) apps, for my personal tastes a 30+ alternatives list loses much of it's usefulness as "simple" list without *something* that helps the user in "choosing" which app gives "more" or simply "what the user needs/wants".

You are the "father" of this thread and it's mantainer/editor, the only thing I can recommend you is ;) :

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097216/quotes?qt=qt0362962

or, better:

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/marktwain122044.html

jaclaz,

I understand what you're saying, but to do what you suggest would change the nature and the purpose of the list. My intention really was/is "simply" to offer a straight-up "menu" ;) of Start Menus, like in a restaurant.

Now, in most of the more recent additions to the list I have provided a very brief description of what that particular application supposedly does, so maybe I can go back to the early ones and give them, too, little descriptions like that. Combined with the sort of classification mentioned before (into Start Menus, Start Buttons, Metro bypassers), the list may become easier to use. But anything more detailed than one line, and then IMHO the list (no matter how well it's broken up into categories) starts to look forbidding.

Alternatively, I can go back to the later entries and REMOVE the descriptions, so that no single item appears to get more attention, or to be favored over the others. That really would be my preference, if I had to choose one or the other approach.

--JorgeA

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Jorge,

I'm not sure if this one is real or not since it has no real description or screenshots, just a bullet list of features and a "download now" button. It does mention "Aero Mode" whatever that means. It might just be a scam for all I know. Anyway, here is the site:

http://windows8startbutton.com/

logo.png

Start Button for Windows 8

  • Restore Windows Start button and Start menu on Windows 8!
  • Make 'desktop mode' as your default Windows startup screen
  • Choose appearance: classic windows, aero mode, Win 7 and more!
  • Restore all your familiar windows menus and options
  • All that and more, absolutely free!

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I'm not sure if this one is real or not since it has no real description or screenshots, just a bullet list of features and a "download now" button. It does mention "Aero Mode" whatever that means. It might just be a scam for all I know. Anyway, here is the site:

http://windows8startbutton.com/

logo.png

CharlotteTheHarlot,

Yeah, that's an interesting case. It was proposed a couple of pages upthread, and @xpclient pointed out that it's an unchanged borrowing from Classic Shell with a couple of unrelated features tacked on.

The single post with the fullest discussion is here.

Thanks anyway! Further additions to the list are still welcome -- let MSFT and its apologists know how large and active the response has been to removing the Start Menu!!

--JorgeA

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A few more. . .

Ezy Start Menu

Info from the download site: "Ezy Start Menu for Windows 8 is a neat application that resides in the lower left corner of your screen and provides you the functionality of the old Windows Start Menu. Using this utility you'll be able to browse your installed applications, local or remote folders and launch programs with a single click."

Lenovo QuickLaunch

Info from the download site: 'Lenovo QuickLaunch provides a "Legacy Desktop Simplified Start Menu", it allows user to fully customize a familiar "launcher" paradigm.'

I installed this one on my machine (not a Lenova) and it works (menu is basic)

Windows 8 Start Menu toggle

Info from the download site: "Windows 8 Start Menu toggle has been developed by Solo-Dev @DA for getting back old Windows 7 classic menu."

StartFinity

Info from the download site: "$14.95 per computer"

There is also a StartFinity Starter Edition (free).

Info from the download site: it has "limited customization opportunities of the Start Menu."

JorgeA, from what I read online Samsung and Toshiba are offering a Start button and menu of their own (at least with particular models); although I did a quick search on their sites I came up empty.

regards,

Laurence

PS) I edited this post to make mention and add link of the free version of StartFinity on Nov. 22

Edited by Laurence
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StartFinity is the most expensive so far. Heck there are much better options out there: SiB 2 licenses for 5 bucks or classic shell which is free - and they are MUCH BETTER. Why the heck should someone pay half of a Win8 upgrade license for a freakin' start menu? :blink:

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StartFinity is the most expensive so far. . . Why the heck should someone pay half of a Win8 upgrade license for a freakin' start menu? :blink:

I don't know; but I do know this: StartFinity is of no interest to me. So, no purchase here. ;-)

regards,

Laurence

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A few more. . .

Hi Laurence,

Wow, keep this up and pretty soon you'll have found more than I did to get the list started. Thank you! :thumbup

JorgeA, from what I read online Samsung and Toshiba are offering a Start button and menu of their own (at least with particular models); although I did a quick search on their sites I came up empty.

Great, we already have an HP Start Menu replacement on the list and you just contributed the Lenovo one. Let's keep an eye out for Samsung and Toshiba versions. (Screenshots of a Samsung start menu had appeared a couple of months ago, but I haven't heard anything new as to whether they'd gone ahead with it.)

I haven't been able to get the DeviantArt link to work for the Windows 8 Start Menu toggle (or anything else there), maybe the server is down for maintenance on Thanksgiving.

--JorgeA

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Hi JorgeA.

I just downloaded the Windows 8 Start Menu toggle from the deviantART site now, and gave it a go, however it looks like it does not work on the Win8 final version from MS. It must have only been for the Developer Preview. Looks like I was too quick on the draw with that one. Sorry about that.

regards,

Laurence

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Great, we already have an HP Start Menu replacement on the list and you just contributed the Lenovo one. Let's keep an eye out for Samsung and Toshiba versions.

Some Toshiba info here:

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Toshiba-Opens-Windows-8-Pre-orders-Brings-Back-Start-Menu-300238.shtml

http://www.cerneaworld.com/2012/10/desktop-assist-toshiba-also-prepares.html

Possibly it's this one:

http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/support/jsp/downloadDetail.jsp?pf=true&soid=3520679

though from the info around it seems like a "more complex" app than a simple Start button replacement.

As well the Samsung one is seemingly contained within the "Easy Settings" app:

http://www.samsung.com/us/support/owners/product/XE500T1C-A01US?

I have no idea if either is "locked" on specific manufacturer's hardware or can be used on other PC's. :unsure:

jaclaz

Edited by jaclaz
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@ jaclaz,

Thanks!

The Samsung one will not install on my computer (not a Samsung): it begins the installation process then faults out with an error stating "This setup is only available on Samsung Computer" and then rolls back what it had begun.

The Toshiba one on the other hand installs without any (known) problem, and my computer is not a Toshiba. The Toshiba Desktop Assist does not offer to bypass the Metro/Modern screen; however once in the Desktop UI there is an Desktop Assist icon on the desktop and one pinned to the Taskbar (which of course can be dragged to where the Start button used to be, if so desired); here is a link to an image of Desktop Assist.

regards,

Laurence

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This is like a linux world right now. There are 2 good programs that bring up the Start Menu in Win8 - StartIsBack and ClassicShell, but people keep bringing up same stuff packed in a different way.

It's gonna be a hell out there when M$ will buy Tihiy's start menu to incorporate into Win8SP1. :D

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