A start menu in Windows 8

A programmer was able to fix what Windows hosed up. I found this while surfing. Has anyone tried it? I want to, only because my wife >1 year into owing windows 8 does not know how to work it.

http://startisback.com/

There's supposed to be an update to Win8.1 that will give you a start menu.

I used the tiled Start thing in Windows 8 and it is a truly stupid and confusing system.

8.1 gives you a windows like screen but no start menu.

The update isn't out yet - in fact now that I check, you'll only be able to get it by upgrading to Windows 10 (which is free for Win7/8 owners).

I use a $5 program called stardock8. Works great!

I've got Classic Shell installed on our Win8 machines, seems to work fine. Also reminds me that I should send the developer a few bucks.

GameboyRMH wrote: I used Windows 8 and it is a truly stupid and confusing system.

FTFY!

BoxheadTim wrote: I've got Classic Shell installed on our Win8 machines, seems to work fine. Also reminds me that I should send the developer a few bucks.

Got my aunt a new laptop last Fall, I'm her IT support, she is not computer savvy, and was coming from Vista to 8.1. After about 2 hours of using 8.1 myself while removing bloat ware, and installing her programs, I knew there was no way I could just give her new laptop to her as is. I knew all the phone calls I'd be getting, and how she'd be complaining about not being able to find anything. I put Classic Shell on it, gave her a 10 min tutorial, and have only had 1 phone call since, for an MS Word issue, not 8.1 issue.

BoxheadTim wrote: I've got Classic Shell installed on our Win8 machines, seems to work fine. Also reminds me that I should send the developer a few bucks.

This is also what I use. Good little add on.

I'll check that out. I still need to remove the tons of bloatware on that machine.

I've used Start8 and put it on all my customer's PC - most are non-native PC users and wouldn't be able to deal with the change.

If you right-click the (former) Start button in 8.1 you get most of the options/functionality of the classic Start menu also.

I'm in the market for a new laptop and will just be installing a fresh version of Windows 7. I'm just reading all the reviews to make sure the drivers and computers work correctly with windows 7.

Windows 7 is the way to go IMO. I keep finding programs that don't work on 8, things that I use everyday.

In reply to digdug18:

Until you can't get patches and updates any longer and your system becomes less and less secure (Windows is never secure, by design).

I'd probably take this opportunity to look at something a little outside of the box. That's just me though.

Windows 8 has sold six apple computers into my immediate family.

It truly is perplexing that Microsoft could swing and miss that far off the plate. Since we have two windows 8 laptops laying around, I am the sole hold-out, but other than surfing the net and saving pictures, have no facility with the OS. The have to be over 200 tiles on the freaking screen very few of which I have any use for.

clutchsmoke wrote:

BoxheadTim wrote: I've got Classic Shell installed on our Win8 machines, seems to work fine. Also reminds me that I should send the developer a few bucks.

This is also what I use. Good little add on.

Here too. No complaints.

Wait till you try the email. What a berkeleyed up clusterberkeley full of berkeleyedness that it.

bearmtnmartin wrote: Wait till you try the email. What a berkeleyed up clusterberkeley full of berkeleyedness that it.

eM Client

In reply to NOHOME:

I understand what they were trying to do with the unified system, but it seems like Microsoft just threw it out there hoping and praying that all their customers would buy a Surface. It seems like no human factors research was done otherwise.

When it turned out to be a disaster with their main client base, well here comes Windows 10 to save them (maybe.)

Just go to Windows 10.