Windows 8 UI is dropping the 'Start' button

Discussion in 'Frontpage news' started by Guru3D News, Feb 7, 2012.

  1. GhostXL

    GhostXL Guest

    Messages:
    6,081
    Likes Received:
    54
    GPU:
    PNY EPIC-X RTX 4090
    The concern is at least Win 7 is a start button of some sort. Win 8 it will be obsolete at this point.
     
  2. Denial

    Denial Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    14,206
    Likes Received:
    4,118
    GPU:
    EVGA RTX 3080
    How exactly does it cripple functionality?

    Sorry but the only thing that's incredibly annoying are closed minded people. Microsoft designed the new interface in conjunction with 50+ years of design philosophy (Fitt's Law) and user test cases.

    Navigate to a commonly used app in Windows 7? 2 clicks. Navigate to the same app in Windows 8? 2 clicks. Navigate to a non-commonly used app in Windows 7? 5 clicks. Navigate to non-commonly used app in Windows 8? 5 clicks?

    Where exactly is the functionality loss? Oh you mean in the fact you get access to 10x the amount of applications within 2 clicks (10 vs 72)? Can't be because that's actually a functionality gain.

    As of right now the maximum number of icons you have at the default zoom level is 84 and that's at 2560x1440 resolution. 1080p is 72 icons. Icon's furthest away from the mouse are just as easy to hit as the top level icon in the current start menu.
     
    Last edited: Feb 8, 2012
  3. stut85

    stut85 Member Guru

    Messages:
    153
    Likes Received:
    0
    GPU:
    Sapphire HD5850 1GB
    Would be a shame if they did remove the option to at least be able to choose, maybe they'll have it only in Professional and Ultimate editions?

    I suppose pre Win95' it was the File Manager and Program Manager that were used as a central point to launch applications and for shortcuts...but they did change it for a reason.

    Do the latest preview builds have a start button?

    Theres a nice blog entry here on msdn called "Evolving the Start menu", it touches on why the start menu came to be and why they feel the need for a change:
    http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2011/10/03/evolving-the-start-menu.aspx
     
    Last edited: Feb 8, 2012
  4. Denial

    Denial Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    14,206
    Likes Received:
    4,118
    GPU:
    EVGA RTX 3080
    Yes they have a Windows button in the same position it always has been which shifts the interface over to the new metro overlay.
     

  5. sykozis

    sykozis Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    22,492
    Likes Received:
    1,537
    GPU:
    Asus RX6700XT
    Windows8 won't have DX12....it will have DX11.1. I thought this had been covered in all the other Windows8 threads

    The "start" button is gone.... However, the former "start menu" can be accessed by hovering the cursor over the lower left corner.
     
  6. deltatux

    deltatux Guest

    Messages:
    19,040
    Likes Received:
    13
    GPU:
    GIGABYTE Radeon R9 280
    I can so see this as a major issue especially for those who are older computer users who won't have a large enough visual cue to know where to hover their mouse to open the "Start" menu. At least there's right now a permanent visual cue to remind them what that button does. Without it, they may even forget by hovering the cursor there opens the menu.

    Another issue with hovering is the fact that some people might rest their mouse cursor there and cause the "Start" Menu to pop up when they don't want it to.

    deltatux
     
  7. IcE

    IcE Don Snow

    Messages:
    10,693
    Likes Received:
    79
    GPU:
    3070Ti FE
    Why is everyone mad that Microsoft is actually trying to improve Windows? Would you rather them try to make it more user friendly or just repackage Windows 7 and resell it again?
     
  8. stut85

    stut85 Member Guru

    Messages:
    153
    Likes Received:
    0
    GPU:
    Sapphire HD5850 1GB
    They're mad just now, but once users actually use it I'm sure they will get used to it and forget all about how controversial it is :)
     
  9. avivoni

    avivoni Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    2,599
    Likes Received:
    1
    GPU:
    560ti 448 classified
    its no biggie we will get used to whatever changes they make in the first 2 or 3 hours of use.
     
  10. deltatux

    deltatux Guest

    Messages:
    19,040
    Likes Received:
    13
    GPU:
    GIGABYTE Radeon R9 280
    Keyword is trying.

    The issue is that they're radically changing a key piece of the UI. Remember, the Start Menu has been in Windows products since Windows 95, that's almost 20 years ago. It's how Windows users have learned and attributed as part of the operating system. Even the changes in XP, Vista and 7 are minute ones that make sense and generally are acceptable. Even the taskbar changes in Windows 7 aren't as radical as this one. This is why many people, me included are highly skeptical about this change. Plus, with Microsoft getting so caught up with the tablet market, many fear that they're catering too much to the tablet space and ruining the traditional desktop experience which is still very important to many users across many industries and at home.

    Sure, there are things that should change but the change should be gradual, not dramatic like this. Would we actually like it? Maybe, maybe not. Personally, I'm very interested on how this plays out with the Public Beta closer to the end of this month to judge for myself but based on what's out there I'm highly skeptical of this change (this coming from someone who has used many different interfaces like Windows 3.x, Windows 95-7, MacOS, MacOS X, KDE, GNOME, XFCE but none have such a radical change to the point where it looks and works so different that people may need to start back to square one, the Start Screen is already horrible for desktop screens).

    deltatux
     
    Last edited: Feb 8, 2012

  11. Year

    Year Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    11,592
    Likes Received:
    2
    GPU:
    EVGA GTX 690
    i really don't care anymore about what Windows UI looks or feels like, i stopped using Windows as my main OS a long time ago, i use Linux which is absolutely perfect for day to day use, it's extremely secure and it's free, i only fire up windows7 to play games.

    i don't think W8 will be another Vista or WinME though, i think W8 will be a success because compatibility is very solid and performance is great (which is really what matters the most in the end).

    this time however it's what you see (the interface) that's going to cause the headaches to Micro$oft, albeit a moderate headache that's going to be quite manageable, unlike Vista which was initially more of an excruciating cluster headache for many reasons , microsoft turned Vista into a milder form of a Migraine with each service pack and only managed to subside the pain with the release of a placebo called W7 which was exactly what the doctor ordered. :D
     
  12. FearFactory

    FearFactory Guest

    Messages:
    821
    Likes Received:
    2
    GPU:
    Sapphire RX470 4GB
    It's not a matter of being closed minded.. change can be good but i don't need a touch screen/tablet optimized Windows! I have a desktop on my desk, i use a mouse, not my fingers! They should have both options when you are installing Win 8.
     
  13. Denial

    Denial Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    14,206
    Likes Received:
    4,118
    GPU:
    EVGA RTX 3080
    You can optimize for both and have a better interface for both, which is what they did here. I'm also not seeing the whole wasted screen space argument at all. When I press start on my current Windows 7 installation and the 3% of the time I'm actually clicking and not typing, I never actually look at the rest of the screen - just what the context menu's I'm clicking through.
     
  14. nick0323

    nick0323 Maha Guru

    Messages:
    1,032
    Likes Received:
    77
    GPU:
    Asus DUAL RTX2060S
    The Tiles may be "controversal" however it could be somethin as simple as a tile on the main screen called "Applications", one click and all user installed applications could be in one easy to find place.

    I'll be waiting for the final release before reviewing any further since I haven't even tried the Alpha.
     
  15. IPlayNaked

    IPlayNaked Banned

    Messages:
    6,555
    Likes Received:
    0
    GPU:
    XFire 7950 1200/1850
    If we all bought into that, we'd still be typing every single command into a prompt to do anything at all.
     

  16. Denial

    Denial Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    14,206
    Likes Received:
    4,118
    GPU:
    EVGA RTX 3080
    Knowing Delta he would prefer that. =p
     
  17. getsuga12

    getsuga12 Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    4,313
    Likes Received:
    0
    GPU:
    Geforce GTX870M
    Well if they got rid of the Start button for something that acts similarly to it, I wouldn't mind. I am a bit tired of the whole Start Menu look, and recently created this for the Newgen application to keep me from having to bring up the Start Menu each time

    http://usteg.deviantart.com/art/Newgen-Start-Menu-Widget-280060054

    but as I said, I hope they have something that replaces the Start button in terms of functionality and accessibility. I'm too used to having recent programs and such a click away
     
  18. Speed Weed

    Speed Weed Guest

    Messages:
    1,066
    Likes Received:
    0
    GPU:
    GTX 260+
    Just a tad curious about this new User Interface on W8.
    Will it function in a similar way to the monitor displays in NCIS: Los Angeles, where with one sweep of the hand, their resident geek is able to move displays around with the greatest of ease? ;)
     
  19. anticupidon

    anticupidon Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    7,878
    Likes Received:
    4,124
    GPU:
    Polaris/Vega/Navi
    microsoft removes start button

    problem ?


    me
    /yao ming mode on

    **** this ****

    /yao ming mode off
     
  20. hallryu

    hallryu Don Altobello

    Messages:
    11,381
    Likes Received:
    15
    GPU:
    2x HD7970
    I care not tbh. Hot corner or start button, same difference.
     

Share This Page