Restoring the Start Menu in Windows 8

My biggest complaint about Windows 8 is the lack of a Start button and the associated Start Menu and its shutdown provisions. The Metro interface gets blamed, but MS could have left the Start Menu and still added the new interface.

Metro, why do I hate thee? Let me count the ways...

1. The Metro interface requires a convoluted and not-at-all intuitive sequence of commands to shut down or restart your computer. Either hover over the right side of your screen, wait for the panel to pop up, then pick Settings and then..oh, never mind
   
   -or-
   
   Hit CTRL+ALT+DEL and sign out. After that is complete, then pick the doodad at the lower right part of your screen and Shut Down
2. You cannot find your programs. Once you switch to the Metro screen, you can indeed start typing in the name of what you want to run (and I like this feature), but items are no longer grouped, you do not know which one you are going to get. Try typing in README and see how many show up. Now, try to figure out the right one. This makes it a support nightmare for us
3. When you install new software, shortcuts do not show up on the Desktop. It is not easy to find them in the Metro screen and bring them over to the Desktop. Yes, it can be done, but it is far harder than it needs to be

What to do? I installed VISTART - it is one of many utilities that will recreate the Start Menu. I ran this one because it seemed to have the most recommendations. And it worked great. Hallelujah.

PS - I am going back to Windows 7

Comments

[Wayne Petts]

I'm always hesitant to jump on the latest version of Windows X. But it is very cheap right now. Maybe it makes sense to buy it for $50 or $60 now and wait for SP 1 or 2 to come out before installing it.