3 ms·

I don't really think adding in the start menu is the answer. I've been using Win 8 since release candidate and, although I was annoyed at first, I soon grew to

I don't really think adding in the start menu is the answer. I've been using Win 8 since release candidate and, although I was annoyed at first, I soon grew to enjoy the new UX. When I use Win 7 now, the thing that annoys me the most is that damn start menu. It's clunky and feels like a chore to navigate through. In Win 8, you can switch over to the metro screen with the Win key, start typing and BAM. OR you can win+q and start typing while you're in desktop mode. I never use metro, so I can't really talk about that. I'm not on a touch device for my desktop, though. I think MS just has a reputation for being "slow" and "clunky," despite the reality that it's a blazing fast OS and, once you adjust to the new UX, a really nice workflow. Just my 2¢.

penguin42 13y ago
Do people not realize you can "hit win key and start typing" in windows 7 too? I haven't clicked on "all programs" in months. It does seem they made the type-to-search faster/more comprehensive in win 8. But there's no need for that to be full screen. A win 7 style start menu with win 8 style search is the best of both worlds.
- wambotron 13y ago
  It's definitely not the same search
  - JennyZ 13y ago
    Indeed, whereas in the start menu you could just search and press enter if the only result was a file to open it, with the start screen you will get a metro app showing results when you do do the same. I hate the full screen switch, I have 2 monitors and at least 2 apps visible on both, I don't want something to go full screen and hide everything I'm working with. I'm using classicshell and I'll probably keep using it after this update. Also sidenote: could they bring aero back as an option at least? I have a desktop with a mid-end graphics card, I really would like my desktop to not look worse than windows 95 did...
zaroth 13y ago
What is there "to navigate through"? In Win7, press start and type. At least the whole screen doesn't puke on you when you do it. I don't think I've clicked that 'All Programs' button in years. But more realistically, all the apps I want to run are always already running. There's nothing for me to "Start". If not for installing security updates, my system uptime would be several years. What I actually want is major improvements to Alt-Tab. The most frustrating thing is how it frequently screws up the z-order when I'm switching back and forth between multiple apps. It seems to forget where I came from, and a single Alt-Tab sends me to the wrong place. The window 'latching' and Win-<arrow> shortcuts they adding in Win7 does help a bit with this, but doesn't obviate the need for much better Alt-Tab. I think the second major flaw is, just because I happen to have 10 different excel sheets, 10 PPTs, 10 notepads "open", does not mean each one needs its own blank square in the Alt-Tab view. They figured out how to stack properly in the taskbar, but it didn't translate to the Alt-Tab view? The concepts of "open" and "running" seem quite outdated to me. Assume everything is "open", everything is "running", and I don't need to "Start" anything. But I do need good tools to context switch and organize multiple windows across multiple screens. A full screen of identical looking icons is NOT the best solution, IMO.
- wambotron 13y ago
  I don't think metro itself is very good, and, like I said, I don't use it. I use Win+Q for searching (much like I use CMD+space on mac) and never even open the metro interface. I agree with you that the start menu and the idea of running/open are outdated.

penguin42 13y ago

Do people not realize you can "hit win key and start typing" in windows 7 too? I haven't clicked on "all programs" in months. It does seem they made the type-to-search faster/more comprehensive in win 8. But there's no need for that to be full screen. A win 7 style start menu with win 8 style search is the best of both worlds.

wambotron 13y ago
It's definitely not the same search
- JennyZ 13y ago
  Indeed, whereas in the start menu you could just search and press enter if the only result was a file to open it, with the start screen you will get a metro app showing results when you do do the same. I hate the full screen switch, I have 2 monitors and at least 2 apps visible on both, I don't want something to go full screen and hide everything I'm working with. I'm using classicshell and I'll probably keep using it after this update. Also sidenote: could they bring aero back as an option at least? I have a desktop with a mid-end graphics card, I really would like my desktop to not look worse than windows 95 did...

zaroth 13y ago

What is there "to navigate through"? In Win7, press start and type. At least the whole screen doesn't puke on you when you do it. I don't think I've clicked that 'All Programs' button in years. But more realistically, all the apps I want to run are always already running. There's nothing for me to "Start". If not for installing security updates, my system uptime would be several years. What I actually want is major improvements to Alt-Tab. The most frustrating thing is how it frequently screws up the z-order when I'm switching back and forth between multiple apps. It seems to forget where I came from, and a single Alt-Tab sends me to the wrong place. The window 'latching' and Win-<arrow> shortcuts they adding in Win7 does help a bit with this, but doesn't obviate the need for much better Alt-Tab. I think the second major flaw is, just because I happen to have 10 different excel sheets, 10 PPTs, 10 notepads "open", does not mean each one needs its own blank square in the Alt-Tab view. They figured out how to stack properly in the taskbar, but it didn't translate to the Alt-Tab view? The concepts of "open" and "running" seem quite outdated to me. Assume everything is "open", everything is "running", and I don't need to "Start" anything. But I do need good tools to context switch and organize multiple windows across multiple screens. A full screen of identical looking icons is NOT the best solution, IMO.

wambotron 13y ago
I don't think metro itself is very good, and, like I said, I don't use it. I use Win+Q for searching (much like I use CMD+space on mac) and never even open the metro interface. I agree with you that the start menu and the idea of running/open are outdated.