What is the best Start menu app or trick for Windows 8

[Sephire]

Stupid metro interface

Gotta have it on Windows 8. Any suggestions?

 

[corkyg]

Start8 works for me.

 

[lakedude]

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-33642_7-57496506-292/how-to-get-the-start-menu-back-in-windows-8/

I'm using Power 8 which is free. EDIT: Switched to Classic Shell. Power 8 was too slow.

Start 8 costs like $5...

 

[MontyAC]

I use Classic Shell, it's freeware.

 

[kbp]

+ 1 for Start8. It's 4.99 and simple.

 

[jhansman]

Start 8 or Start is Back.

 

[Salamander]

Start 8 works for me as well.

 

[ViRGE]

Another vote for Start8. It's $5, but it's $5 well spent since it's the most accurate of the Start Menu applications. Otherwise Classic Shell is a reasonable facsimile for free.

 

[HeXen]

I prefer Start8's "windows 8 style" in wide mode.
makes the start screen feel more like a modern start menu without the split personality effect.
i honestly never really liked the classic menu style, mostly the Tree hierarchy which usually gets cluttered with 3rd party sub menu's and useless shortcuts, stupid if you ask me

 

[guskline]

Pay $5 for Start8 and you will be a happy camper!

 

[postmortemIA]

Windows 7. Way to tell Microsoft thanks but no.

Today I learned that there are people who don't know how to exit metro ui.

 

[lakedude]

I just couldn't bring myself to pay the $5 for Start-8 so I tried another free one. Power-8 was OK but it really slow. Classic Shell is working more to my liking. Between Classic Shell and a registry change to disable side swipe gesture pop ups, Win8 might be OK after all.

They still need to fix Task Manager or whatever reason you can't seem to kill a malfunctioning game but Classic Shell has me booting straight to desktop and it is working pretty darn slick.

 

[Mem]

In beta of Win8 I used Start8,however since official release I have got use to Win+X menu,you don't really need a third party mod to be honest but I can understand old ways die hard for a lot of users out there.

 

[Mem]

Windows 7. Way to tell Microsoft thanks but no.

Today I learned that there are people who don't know how to exit metro ui.

Lol is it really that hard,maybe they should stick to consoles ,Windows key or left click in bottom left corner or click on Desktop tile in Metro,rocket science for some I guess :biggrin: .


Btw interesting poll on those that are using or not using a Start menu mod for Win8 at OCUK,http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18461269 ,no is winning by 2 to 1, so looks like a lot of users getting use to Win+x menu .

 

[Nothinman]

Windows 7. Way to tell Microsoft thanks but no.

Today I learned that there are people who don't know how to exit metro ui.

Just a few days ago I was reminded that the Windows key acts more like a back button than a traditional Windows key in Win8. I had done a fresh reboot of my Win8 VM after installing some software, logged in and it went to the Start screen. After a few minutes of unpinning dozens of unnecessary icons I hit the Win key to get the desktop and nothing happened. I waited a few seconds thinking that it was just responding slowly but nothing still happened, obviously I realized what was going on and hit Win+D to get back to it. But the point is that the whole thing isn't intuitive at all and I'm not surprised that it's confusing people.

 

[Mem]

Just a few days ago I was reminded that the Windows key acts more like a back button than a traditional Windows key in Win8. I had done a fresh reboot of my Win8 VM after installing some software, logged in and it went to the Start screen. After a few minutes of unpinning dozens of unnecessary icons I hit the Win key to get the desktop and nothing happened. I waited a few seconds thinking that it was just responding slowly but nothing still happened, obviously I realized what was going on and hit Win+D to get back to it. But the point is that the whole thing isn't intuitive at all and I'm not surprised that it's confusing people.

Top 15 shortcuts for Win8,http://blog.laptopmag.com/15-essential-windows-8-keyboard-shortcuts .

I don't use them much maybe Windows key as back and shortcut to desktop sometimes,I probably use Win+X menu via mouse( right click in left bottom corner for those that don't know)more then any keyboard shortcut ,however easier to customize icons/shortcuts to desktop and taskbar etc.. in long run.

But the point is that the whole thing isn't intuitive at all and I'm not surprised that it's confusing people.

Makes you wonder how people got along with DOS 6.22 in the old days,all the DOS commands you had to learn,but once you knew them easy as pie.

 

[Nothinman]

Top 15 shortcuts for Win8,http://blog.laptopmag.com/15-essential-windows-8-keyboard-shortcuts .

I don't use them much maybe Windows key as back and shortcut to desktop sometimes,I probably use Win+X menu via mouse( right click in left bottom corner for those that don't know)more then any keyboard shortcut ,however easier to customize icons/shortcuts to desktop and taskbar etc.. in long run.

That's the thing though, the Windows key isn't both "back and shortcut to desktop", it's just back. It just works out that back takes you to the desktop frequently because that's where you're spending most of your time.

Makes you wonder how people got along with DOS 6.22 in the old days,all the DOS commands you had to learn,but once you knew them easy as pie.

No need to wonder, I had no problem learning Linux and loving bash from like '99 up until a few years ago but now I just don't have the patience for little projects like setting up Samba and such. Don't get me wrong, I still use Linux as my primary PC at home because it largely "just works", I just don't venture out of what I already know much now. =)

 

[lakedude]

Makes you wonder how people got along with DOS 6.22 in the old days,all the DOS commands you had to learn,but once you knew them easy as pie.

Never even considered owning a PC until Win95. Before that they were too much like work.

I could DOS around just fine but someone better be paying me to do it...

 

[Pr0d1gy]

Learn to use Metro.

/profit

 

[HeXen]

Never even considered owning a PC until Win95. Before that they were too much like work.

I could DOS around just fine but someone better be paying me to do it...

Kinda how i always felt about Linux. Not the default generic usage but you know, to actually really use it and get it all setup how you work and need it.
I didn't mind the DOS days only because i was so much younger, typing seemed fun back then, yet today the moment i have to type simply Netplwiz or sudo apt-get i'm immediately put off.

I actually wouldn't mind a modernized Windows NT 4 or something. Simple, light, without all the BS even though much of that is kinda required nowadays anyhow but i do hate having a 30 gig OS on my small SSD. Win8 does feel light at first, but it definitely bogs down in time, i kinda miss the Windows 95 with just explorer running in background.

 

[AsgardDevice]

I prefer Classic Shell, but my only wish for these classic start menu applications is that they'd allow us to retain the functionality of the Windows key. I'd like to be able to quickly switch back to the metro UI with one click.

The fastest way I know is to press windows+C, then click on start on the right side. (which isn't bad at all, but we are on a constant quest to improve.)

 

[CA19100]

I prefer Classic Shell, but my only wish for these classic start menu applications is that they'd allow us to retain the functionality of the Windows key. I'd like to be able to quickly switch back to the metro UI with one click.

With Start8, you can do that. You can even have the left Windows key do the start menu, while the right Win key does the Metro start screen. Works well.

 

[Carson Dyle]

Does Start8 offer an XP-like Start menu, like Classic Shell (which I use in Windows 7)?

 

[ViRGE]

Does Start8 offer an XP-like Start menu, like Classic Shell (which I use in Windows 7)?

No. It offers a Windows 7 start menu. There's no reason to get Start8 if you want XP; the only reason to get Start8 is because it's a far better replica of the Windows 7 start menu than anything else out there.

 

[Carson Dyle]

Sounds like Start8 has fewer features than Classic Shell. What does the "better replica" part buy you in terms of usability?