Missing the Start Menu in Windows 8 Consumer Preview?

In the Developer Preview, Microsoft had a registry setting that allowed you to switch off the Metro Start screen. This would also enable the more 'Classic' Windows 7 Start menu. Microsoft had hinted that this would be taken away in the Consumer Preview, and it seems that they have.

There are some 3rd party applications that allow you to 'install' a Windows 7-like (or other type) Start menu, but I typically like to install as little of these as possible on my systems. So let's just work with what we have.

Read my article: Missing the Start Menu in Windows 8 Consumer Preview?

 

Nice article Arie. I'm sure many users are complaining about Microsoft removing the Start Menu from Windows 8 CP so this will help to a certain extent.

Maybe MS will include an option in the final build of Windows 8 to switch between the new Metro UI and the classic UI which will include the classic start menu. That way everyone is happy. But from what I've seen of Windows 8 the change to remove the Start Menu will most likely stay and users will be forced to learn the new Windows 8 UI.

Imagine the headaches that IT administrators will have to deal with when trying to train employees on how to use the new Windows OS. Microsoft is taking the OS in a new direction, whether its the right one or not I don't know but I won't judge the OS fully until its actually released.

 

I don't think IT admins will have any headache.

I agree with IDC, who noted that businesses will ignore Windows 8. Businesses are just now starting to roll out Windows 7 (skipping Vista, they are coming from Windows XP).

 

For the majority of Windows users who are running Windows 7 they most likely will not switch to Windows 8 yet. I know I will stick with Windows 7 for the next few years.

IMO the only way people will switch to Windows 8 will be if they are buying a new PC or a Tablet device. From what I've seen there really isn't any incentive to upgrade to Windows 8 unless you are using a Tablet device. Coming from someone who is using a desktop PC I am not seeing any Windows feature that is making me go "oh wow I want this new version ", especially since I won't be using any of the touch features. Windows 7 seems to do everything that people have asked of it and any minor improvements could be included in Windows 7 SP2.

Do you see any features of Windows 8 that look innovative that are worth using?

 

Many

 

No there isn't. There was in the Development Preview, not in the current Consumer Preview.