Microsoft shouldn't have reinstated the start button in Windows 8.1 | Hacker News Reader

Microsoft shouldn't have reinstated the start button in Windows 8.1

marakblog.wordpress.com

6 pointsmarak21013 comments

"Microsoft wanted to converge desktop and tablet platforms..."

I always wonder why we imagine it is desirable to 'converge' the user interface for a device you carry in a pocket with that of a device that has two 30" monitors.

It is possible to play a violin like a cello but not very practical...

I do want them converge. However, I dislike MS approach with separate incompatible software stores.

Ubuntu tablet seems to be the right way to do it.

"separate incompatible software stores" elaborate?

The problem is that they tried to merge desktop and tablet user experiences in the first place. The idea of having to perform a full context switch / screen jump to launch a new app is a weakness of tablets... not a strength that should be forced on PC users. The ability to have N applications on screen at once, and launch others without losing any visibility into current windows, is something they lost... that's the problem.

You can still put icons on the desktop and pin them to the task bar..

Every one of the methods listed for accessing the Start menu in Windows 8 causes problems in a remote desktop connection.

-The mouse isn't always locked into the active rdc window, so finding the corner of the screen is tedious

-Swiping in from the side of the window with a mouse doesn't work

-Pressing the Start key on your keyboard will open the host Start menu, not the remotely connected instance

Of course rdc is a bit of an edge case, but it's very important for business/power users.

Interesting, not something I've yet to do yet I RDP into Windows 7 daily.

If you run your RDP client in full screen, don't use multiple monitors, and map your windows key to the remote os then it gets a little better. The break-in period is a little painful though, especially disconnecting (Charms Menu > Settings > Power > Disconnect??). I'm hoping the 8.1 update smooths out some of the issues.

It's a great example of compromise vs. full-fledged.

Converging all users to the same UI is going to be a compromise; It won't be great for double-30"-monitor-powerusers, and it won't be great for 9" Tablet mobile users.

The only thing this improves marginally is how much code needs to be maintained, and considering the implications, i'd much rather have twice the code size, than inhibit my users ability to use my product efficiently, and make it more minimalist.

I don't get this start button hate. For all the benefits of having a permanent start bar I will happily sacrifice 13mm off the bottom of my screen that I would probably just use as white space anyway.

And I have had the option to auto-hide the start bar since... Win 95?(or was it earlier)

It's not that they got rid of the taskbar (it's still there on the Win8 desktop), it's that they took the button for the start menu off of it, and replaced it with a hot corner, and in Windows 8.1 they've put the button back.

I don't mind them putting the Start button back, but I wish there was an option to remove it again. I much prefer a vertical taskbar, which puts my Start button in a different corner than the Start hot corner (which is just confusing and annoying).

They should've gotten rid of Metro completely. Tablets and PC's are not meant to be mixed. The ideal size for a tablet is around 7"-8", while the ideal size for a laptop (for most people) is 13".

Here's hoping under the new CEO Windows 9 will be a true successor to Windows 7, instead of one to Windows 8.

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