Windows 8 Is Killing The Start Button

The Start button – a simple concept that has defined the Windows operating system since its inception. It’s a shame then that Microsoft is killing it with Windows 8.

Windows 8 is going for a more visual approach to navigating their OS with the Metro style desktop. The Start button will still be there in theory, but as Extreme Tech reports, it’s going to now be a “hot corner.” To access the applications on the start screen, users will now flick their mouse to the left corner of the screen, or just touch it if they have a touch screen monitor.

What is Microsoft thinking, you ask. It’s a good question and one they have answered. They are saving space. They want to be able to fit one more app onto the Super Bar.

The confusing bit is that there’s no visual indication that a start screen exists so first-time users may not even be aware of its existence.

I’m all for simplifying things for the end user, but I’m going to stick with Windows 7 for now. The Metro style desktop is cool for the first few minutes until you realize that you want a computer that’s more than just a glorified media player.

Microsoft will release the Windows 8 Consumer Preview public beta in a few weeks time. That’ll be your chance to try out the new OS to see if it’s to your liking. The Start button is not likely coming back, but that’s just a small problem in the larger scheme of Microsoft trying to emulate the simplicity of Mac OSX and losing its identity in the process.

In remembrance of the Start button, here’s a video of the first Windows 95 ad that prominently featured the lovely Start button:

There are 6 Comments. Add Yours.

Chris
February 7, 2012 at 11:26 pm

On the developer preview you can still get to the traditional view with start button at bottom left. I like the new look.
matt
February 7, 2012 at 7:51 pm

Microsoft is making a big deal about it honestly. this is the second time they have significantly changed windows. 3.1->95 and now 7->8. I remember seeing early prereleases of the windows XP desktop and thinking it looked like some cheesey cartoon start button. The cool part about 8 is that it will be identical on all platforms. desktops, touch screens, laptops, phones, will all have the same interface.
donkey
February 7, 2012 at 4:59 pm

News flash: There is no “Start” button on Windows 7 either.
- Zach Walton
  February 7, 2012 at 5:02 pm
  
  It does not explicitly state “Start” anymore. That was done away with the Aero design that came with Vista, but it still is a Start button. It’s a button on the bottom left hand side that leads to the Start menu. There will be no such button in Windows 8.
- Rawrnonymous
  February 7, 2012 at 8:16 pm
  
  Newsflash: The start button is still there in Windows 7. Look next time. If you are referring to it physically showing the word “Start”, then no, it’s gone. But the location of the button is still the same, and the button itself represents “Start”. Protip: Hover your mouse over it, what pops up? *hint* “Start”.
  
  Windows 8 can go die in a fire, unless they radically change it back to something that looks like Windows (probably not going to happen).
Dan
February 6, 2012 at 3:33 pm

It only figures Windows would get rid of something that actually makes sense. This is my opinion, but I think they need to work on making their OS stable, instead of changing the Start button location!