Comment by HardyLeung | Hacker News Reader

Comment by HardyLeung | Hacker News Reader

I have been running Windows 8 (RTM version) on my laptop for two weeks (as I am a MSDN subscriber, thanks to BizSpark). The Metro interface is cute but after a while, I am completely back to the Desktop environment. To my surprise, it is exactly like Windows 7, minus the start menu. I even wonder whether this is because I upgraded from Windows 7?

So I would say, if you are worried that it'll destroy your Windows experience as you know it, don't. It's still there. Really still there, with some minor improvements (e.g. task menu). If I didn't get this for free, I would have felt cheated (as in, this is just an UI skin over my existing Windows 7). What I miss the most is the start menu, and I guess I'll download some start-menu app to replace that.

I don't use my laptop as a tablet so I can't comment on the Metro interface, other than that it's fluid (like the Windows Phone). I don't see there is any chance I'd buy the Surface RT though... The App Store is very limiting at this point. But then, I am not their RT audience.

> The Metro interface is cute but after a while, I am completely back to the Desktop environment. To my surprise, it is exactly like Windows 7, minus the start menu. I even wonder whether this is because I upgraded from Windows 7?

It's not because you upgraded from Windows 7; a vanilla Windows 8 installation has the same desktop too.

In particular if you use the Windows 7 Start menu with the keyboard - typing in a name to search for it - that works much the same in the Windows 8 start screen. Some useful keyboard shortcuts:

* Windows+W to go directly to the Settings

* Windows+F to go directly to Files in the new start screen

* Windows+X to get a quick popup menu of power user tools

* Windows+I to open a panel of quick settings

If you want something more like the Windows 7 Start menu, try Start8:

http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/

I've been trying it out a bit and am not sure whether I prefer it or the Metro start screen. I very much like the lack of animation in Start8 - that was the main thing I missed from Windows 7.

One other subtle thing I miss from Windows 7 is that shortcuts to apps like Notepad will start multiple instances of the app. For some unfathomable reason, the Windows 8 start screen always goes to the first instance of the app if you try to start Notepad or the like multiple times. That would be OK but I can't find any way to override it and easily start multiple instances. Start8 brings back the old behavior here.

> One other subtle thing I miss from Windows 7 is that shortcuts to apps like Notepad will start multiple instances of the app. For some unfathomable reason, the Windows 8 start screen always goes to the first instance of the app if you try to start Notepad or the like multiple times. That would be OK but I can't find any way to override it and easily start multiple instances. Start8 brings back the old behavior here.

You can do that by right clicking the icon on the bottom taskbar and click the app to start. It did drive me crazy until I figured this out.

Does middle click not work? It does in Win7 (and Ubuntu/Unity too) and I'd be very surprised if they removed that feature

Interesting... Thanks for the tip!

Middle click does work on my Windows 8 start screen; it always launches a new instance.

It doesn't do anything on my Windows 7 machine's start menu, though. But that's no problem because left click does what I want.

Testing a bit more... Now I see! In Windows 7, middle click works on the taskbar but not in the Start menu. In Windows 8, it works on both.

The easiest way to launch a new instance of the application is to hold down the Shift key while launching. Don't remember how I stumbled upon this, but it works for both the taskbar and the start screen launchers.

That's right! Thanks!

Middle click the icon in the taskbar to open a new instance of the app. It does mean you need to pin the app to the taskbar or open it first from the start menu, but that's what you're doing anyway. Just saves you navigating the start menu for subsequent launches.

For Start Menu, I've been getting along well with http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/ - but I use it in Windows 7 too.

Isn't it easier to use the keyboard (eg: Start + 'Exce.. + Enter) to launch apps, than go to the mouse?

Most ubuntu users had a similar transition, when they moved from gnome to unity. It isn't that bad; or even at all.

Yes now I can getting use to this. I agree this is not bad way to start.

If my hand is on the keyboard, it's easier to use the terminal.

(Classic shell still has the search feature. But often I launch apps before remembering their name - I'm a big user of apropos to recall commands. I remember locations. May be a difference in cognitive style.)

You use this in Windows 7? Mind if I ask why? I find the Win7 start menu super useful, just for the fact that I can pin very common apps on the first menu, and see recent items, and have the search. Very very rarely do I go into the "Programs".

See my cousin reply (child of a sibling to your post).

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