14 DAY TRIAL // One of the major changes that Microsoft introduced in Windows 8
Consumer Preview when compared to previous Windows releases was the lack of a Start button.
The move was not received well by all Windows users, since many missed the functionality it offered, but it appears that the Redmond-based software giant will move forth with its plan to strip the platform of this button.
Microsoft took the decision to launch Windows 8 without the Start button even on desktop PCs, and the decision is final.
In fact, Tami Reller, the head of marketing and CFO of the Windows and Windows Live Division at Microsoft, confirmed this to investment banking firm Nomura, a recent article on Seattle Times reads.
When launching the new OS, users will have to get through the new Metro Start Screen first, although they also have the desktop mode enabled for them.
Moreover, a series of Metro commands will have to be used to navigate back to the Start Screen, which has been designed mainly to fit the touchscreens of tablet PCs.
Apparently, Microsoft plans on making available a tutorial for showing how Windows 8 can be used with a keyboard and mouse on traditional PCs, but won’t go back to including the Start button / menu in the new platform.
Third-party applications can be used for getting the familiar Start menu back in Windows 8, many of which are already available for download.
Windows 8 is expected to become available in a final flavor sometime in October, with a great deal of optimizations for use on touch devices. Apps developed specifically for it will also take advantage of the Metro UI and the said touch optimizations.
Many have complained that the manner in which touch commands can be called up using a keyboard and mouse are counterintuitive, though Microsoft might still be set to offer an alternative on this when the final version of the platform arrives.