
Microsoft Justifies Killing the Start Button in Windows 8 - seminatore
http://www.legitreviews.com/news/13533/
======
jpxxx
I think this is going to go over like a lead balloon for the significant
population of Windows users who are UI-blind.

They do not know how to pin apps to the taskbar, they do not know any keyboard
combos, they do not press the Start key on the keyboard, they do not realize
they can search for apps, and they have certainly never pressed the mouse
pointer against the screen's edge to make UI appear.

The one inviolate, signature, fundamental interaction with Windows since 1995
has been clicking on the Start button, and now it's being replaced with a
giant, whirling explosion of colored panels and secret UI.

Their explanations don't pass the smell test, and I think this is a product-
breaking change. I'd like to know the real reason why.

~~~
vibrunazo
> I'd like to know the real reason why.

My guess is their plan is to try to leverage their desktop dominance into
mobile. By forcing existing desktop users into their mobile experience. And
hope that'll be familiar enough to buy old windows users into their mobile
ecosystem, but not different enough to scare them away to a different desktop.
The start menu is just one of the many pieces that doesn't work well on
mobile. So they'll also get rid of it on the desktop, hoping that'll get
desktop users familiar with WP.

Yea, a bad plan, but I guess that's their vision.

~~~
jpxxx
"We took away this thing you know and replaced it with five things you don't
on the theory that you'll be so delighted with the changes that you'll be more
willing to purchase a less essential product from us in the future."

That is a _gamble_.

------
natmaster
That's strange, I never used it til Vista/Win7 when they made it actually
useful. Now I don't need to clutter my desktop with links to all my programs,
I just hit the windows key and start typing away.

------
orbitingpluto
Remember seeing the Start Menu in Windows Vista for the first time?

It should be obvious to anyone that Microsoft has been trying to kill the
program list for a long time. Instead of being presented with the basics of
what the system can do, everyone is now getting a curated experience.

Things are supposed to be easy to use. But do you really want to keep your
users stupid forever? There has to be avenues of exploration to lead to
further complexity. Otherwise why bother with anything more than a web browser
OS?

------
OmegaHN
This bothers me a lot. I use the Start Menu all the time for searching and
common programs, and then use the taskbar as a way to manage open
applications. Granted, I don't miss it on my Macbook, but that is already very
limited by not having a mouse, smaller screen, etc.

------
darrenkopp
Fits my usage perfectly. I have the 4 programs that I use 95% of the time
pinned to the taskbar, everything else I use search to run.

------
ne0codex
I always felt that the start button was the only thing keeping some windows
users from switching to other operating systems. Now that there's not going to
be a start button, I hope that more people will be open to Linux/Mac since the
"clutch" of the Start button will no longer be an issue.

------
codingthebeach
OS X manages just fine without a formal "Start" button. Who needs Start
buttons when you can pin, search from the desktop, or use Launchpad? So
goodbye, old Start Button, we've had a good run. You will be remembered.

~~~
crazygringo
OSX has the Apple menu (for System Preferences, Shut Down, etc.) and the
Applications dock menu.

So OS X _does_ have a Start button for all intents and purposes, it's just
divided into two halves (which basically correspond to the original columns of
the XP start menu). I personally feel it would be really annoying to go
without either of them.

~~~
jpxxx
Anything to the right of the divide on the dock is considered a stack, which
is just a pinned folder.

Once the user accidentally drags it off the dock, it poofs away and they are
lost.

