Windows 8's classic interface?

I'm now starting to feel like one of those old men who got totally
confused when Microsoft slightly changed the start menu between Windows
XP and Vista or 7, and before that when they changed it between Windows
95/98 and 2000/XP. They had such a hard time figuring things out, even
though things weren't really all that different if just tried a little
harder.

So recently a friend of mine got a new laptop with Windows 8
pre-installed on it. And although we found out how to get back to
somewhat classic interface, quickly enough, it's not exactly the same as
the classic interface is it? It doesn't have anything like start/search
button in Windows 7? I know we can install many 3rd party start button
emulators for Windows 8, but what if we're working at someone's Windows
8 computer that doesn't have these installed? We're stuck with using
whatever is already pre-installed on Win8. Is there a start button
hidden away in Win 8 somewhere, that we hadn't discovered?

Yousuf Khan

Yousuf Khan wrote:

I'm now starting to feel like one of those old men who got totally
confused when Microsoft slightly changed the start menu between Windows
XP and Vista or 7, and before that when they changed it between Windows
95/98 and 2000/XP. They had such a hard time figuring things out, even
though things weren't really all that different if just tried a little
harder.

So recently a friend of mine got a new laptop with Windows 8
pre-installed on it. And although we found out how to get back to
somewhat classic interface, quickly enough, it's not exactly the same as
the classic interface is it? It doesn't have anything like start/search
button in Windows 7? I know we can install many 3rd party start button
emulators for Windows 8, but what if we're working at someone's Windows
8 computer that doesn't have these installed? We're stuck with using
whatever is already pre-installed on Win8. Is there a start button
hidden away in Win 8 somewhere, that we hadn't discovered?

No... but there *is* Classic Shell:

http://www.classicshell.net/

Quote from the website:

"Start button for Windows 7 and Windows 8"

....among other features.

--
Yeah, if they had a really great win they could just buy new kids.
I hear you can get some good hard working ones from China.

On 13 Jan 2013, Yousuf Khan wrote in
alt.comp.os.windows-8:

Is there a start button hidden away in Win
8 somewhere, that we hadn't discovered?

The Metro interface *IS* the replacement for the Start button. Anything
that would have been listed in Windows 7's Programs menu will be found
there. You can also search for programs from the Metro screen.

I think it's terribly clumsy and ugly, but it has similar functionality
to the Start menu. I'd replace it with Classic Shell if it were mine,
but in a pinch Metro can be used.

Is there a start button
hidden away in Win 8 somewhere, that we hadn't discovered?

Yousuf Khan


No

Use windows + x key

FD

On Sun, 13 Jan 2013 15:42:54 -0500, Yousuf Khan
wrote:


So recently a friend of mine got a new laptop with Windows 8
pre-installed on it. And although we found out how to get back to
somewhat classic interface, quickly enough, it's not exactly the same as
the classic interface is it? It doesn't have anything like start/search
button in Windows 7? I know we can install many 3rd party start button
emulators for Windows 8, but what if we're working at someone's Windows
8 computer that doesn't have these installed? We're stuck with using
whatever is already pre-installed on Win8. Is there a start button
hidden away in Win 8 somewhere, that we hadn't discovered?


No. You need a third-party program to get it back. I have two
recommendations--the free Classic Shell
(http://www.classicshell.net/), or even better, the almost free ($4.99
US) Start8 (http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/).


--
Ken Blake

On 1/13/2013 2:42 PM, Yousuf Khan wrote:
I'm now starting to feel like one of those old men who got totally
confused when Microsoft slightly changed the start menu between Windows
XP and Vista or 7, and before that when they changed it between Windows
95/98 and 2000/XP. They had such a hard time figuring things out, even
though things weren't really all that different if just tried a little
harder.

So recently a friend of mine got a new laptop with Windows 8
pre-installed on it. And although we found out how to get back to
somewhat classic interface, quickly enough, it's not exactly the same as
the classic interface is it? It doesn't have anything like start/search
button in Windows 7? I know we can install many 3rd party start button
emulators for Windows 8, but what if we're working at someone's Windows
8 computer that doesn't have these installed? We're stuck with using
whatever is already pre-installed on Win8. Is there a start button
hidden away in Win 8 somewhere, that we hadn't discovered?

Yousuf Khan

Come on Yousuf! So what if the Start Menu we had seen for what 17 years
now is now called the Start Screen and it looks different and takes the
whole screen. Is that really so hard?

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - Thunderbird v12
Centrino Core2 Duo T7400 2.16 GHz - 4GB - Windows 8

Yousuf Khan wrote:
I'm now starting to feel like one of those old men who got totally
confused when Microsoft slightly changed the start menu between Windows
XP and Vista or 7, and before that when they changed it between Windows
95/98 and 2000/XP. They had such a hard time figuring things out, even
though things weren't really all that different if just tried a little
harder.

So recently a friend of mine got a new laptop with Windows 8
pre-installed on it. And although we found out how to get back to
somewhat classic interface, quickly enough, it's not exactly the same as
the classic interface is it? It doesn't have anything like start/search
button in Windows 7? I know we can install many 3rd party start button
emulators for Windows 8, but what if we're working at someone's Windows
8 computer that doesn't have these installed? We're stuck with using
whatever is already pre-installed on Win8. Is there a start button
hidden away in Win 8 somewhere, that we hadn't discovered?

Yousuf Khan

If such a thing existed, there'd be hardly any traffic
in this newsgroup :-)

Even though people were asking for such, during the previews
of Windows 8, Microsoft wasn't listening.

What you did get in the released version of Windows 8, was
a kind of tutorial so you could use the machine a bit.

*******

I suppose you could go around, carrying a copy of this.
(Dell's primer for Windows 8)

https://marketing.dell.com/Global/Fi...ws-8-ebook.pdf

Leave a copy with the person the night before, and have them
skim read it by the next day. Then, drop by, and be prepared
to be amazed by their new level of proficiency.

Paul

Paul wrote:
Yousuf Khan wrote:
I'm now starting to feel like one of those old men who got totally
confused when Microsoft slightly changed the start menu between Windows
XP and Vista or 7, and before that when they changed it between
Windows 95/98 and 2000/XP. They had such a hard time figuring things
out, even though things weren't really all that different if just
tried a little harder.
So recently a friend of mine got a new laptop with Windows 8
pre-installed on it. And although we found out how to get back to
somewhat classic interface, quickly enough, it's not exactly the same
as the classic interface is it? It doesn't have anything like
start/search button in Windows 7? I know we can install many 3rd
party start button emulators for Windows 8, but what if we're working
at someone's Windows 8 computer that doesn't have these installed?
We're stuck with using whatever is already pre-installed on Win8. Is
there a start button hidden away in Win 8 somewhere, that we hadn't discovered?
Yousuf Khan

If such a thing existed, there'd be hardly any traffic
in this newsgroup :-)

Even though people were asking for such, during the previews
of Windows 8, Microsoft wasn't listening.

What you did get in the released version of Windows 8, was
a kind of tutorial so you could use the machine a bit.

*******

I suppose you could go around, carrying a copy of this.
(Dell's primer for Windows 8)

https://marketing.dell.com/Global/Fi...ws-8-ebook.pdf

Leave a copy with the person the night before, and have them
skim read it by the next day. Then, drop by, and be prepared
to be amazed by their new level of proficiency.

Paul

Aren't there Dummies books for this kind of thing? And are some people with
problems navigating the new interface actually charging others for their
advice ? Only in America!!

Yousuf Khan wrote:

I'm now starting to feel like one of those old men who got totally
confused when Microsoft slightly changed the start menu between Windows
XP and Vista or 7, and before that when they changed it between Windows
95/98 and 2000/XP. They had such a hard time figuring things out, even
though things weren't really all that different if just tried a little
harder.

So recently a friend of mine got a new laptop with Windows 8
pre-installed on it. And although we found out how to get back to
somewhat classic interface, quickly enough, it's not exactly the same
as
the classic interface is it? It doesn't have anything like start/search
button in Windows 7? I know we can install many 3rd party start button
emulators for Windows 8, but what if we're working at someone's Windows
8 computer that doesn't have these installed? We're stuck with using
whatever is already pre-installed on Win8. Is there a start button
hidden away in Win 8 somewhere, that we hadn't discovered?

Yousuf Khan

The Start Menu is officially killed by Microsoft. There's no
hidden/undocumented setting to get it back.

Try Ex7ForW8 from one of below URLs to kill the Start Screen and re-add
the Start Menu. You'll need to register to the forum in order to download
it, but the software is free.

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/1573...for-windows-8/
http://forums.mydigitallife.info/thr...-explorer-for-
Windows-8

On Mon, 14 Jan 2013 14:49:54 +0000 (UTC), JJ wrote:

Yousuf Khan wrote:

I'm now starting to feel like one of those old men who got totally
confused when Microsoft slightly changed the start menu between Windows
XP and Vista or 7, and before that when they changed it between Windows
95/98 and 2000/XP. They had such a hard time figuring things out, even
though things weren't really all that different if just tried a little
harder.

So recently a friend of mine got a new laptop with Windows 8
pre-installed on it. And although we found out how to get back to
somewhat classic interface, quickly enough, it's not exactly the same
as
the classic interface is it? It doesn't have anything like start/search
button in Windows 7? I know we can install many 3rd party start button
emulators for Windows 8, but what if we're working at someone's Windows
8 computer that doesn't have these installed? We're stuck with using
whatever is already pre-installed on Win8. Is there a start button
hidden away in Win 8 somewhere, that we hadn't discovered?

Yousuf Khan

The Start Menu is officially killed by Microsoft. There's no
hidden/undocumented setting to get it back.

Try Ex7ForW8 from one of below URLs to kill the Start Screen and re-add
the Start Menu. You'll need to register to the forum in order to download
it, but the software is free.

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/1573...for-windows-8/
http://forums.mydigitallife.info/thr...-explorer-for-
Windows-8

Isn't this called the Quick Access Menu, now? Press the Windows Key
and the X key and see if this works about like the Start menu used to
work. Gordon

Gordon wrote:
Isn't this called the Quick Access Menu, now? Press the Windows Key
and the X key and see if this works about like the Start menu used to
work. Gordon

No. Quick Access Menu is not a Start Menu. It's just a simple popup menu
for quick access. It doesn't look and work like the Start Menu.

On 01/13/2013 12:42 PM, Yousuf Khan wrote:
I'm now starting to feel like one of those old men who got totally
confused when Microsoft slightly changed the start menu between Windows
XP and Vista or 7, and before that when they changed it between Windows
95/98 and 2000/XP. They had such a hard time figuring things out, even
though things weren't really all that different if just tried a little
harder.

Hi Yousuf,

[pep talk] Don't be too hard on yourself. W8 is hard to use.

When a customer shoved an iPad (almost useless toy) under my
nose for the first time, I literally had to ask about a
minutes worth of question and I was up and configuring his
eMail. The iPad is hermetically intuitive.

Windows 8 is the antidote! Swear words have not yet been
invented to describe it.

But, that being said, force yourself to learn the turkey
anyway. A lot of people are going to need our help.
And in the words of Bugs Bunny, its a living! [/pep talk]

-T

On 01/13/2013 12:42 PM, Yousuf Khan wrote:
I'm now starting to feel like one of those old men who got totally
confused when Microsoft slightly changed the start menu between Windows
XP and Vista or 7, and before that when they changed it between Windows
95/98 and 2000/XP. They had such a hard time figuring things out, even
though things weren't really all that different if just tried a little
harder.

So recently a friend of mine got a new laptop with Windows 8
pre-installed on it. And although we found out how to get back to
somewhat classic interface, quickly enough, it's not exactly the same as
the classic interface is it? It doesn't have anything like start/search
button in Windows 7? I know we can install many 3rd party start button
emulators for Windows 8, but what if we're working at someone's Windows
8 computer that doesn't have these installed? We're stuck with using
whatever is already pre-installed on Win8. Is there a start button
hidden away in Win 8 somewhere, that we hadn't discovered?

Yousuf Khan

Hi Yousuf,

I understand you not wanting to put third party utilities
on other people's machines. Plus you really should force
yourself to learn the stinker in its glorious, original
incarnation.

The start menu has been replaced by the Metro screen. It
gets called the Start Screen a lot. Get it? Start Screen
replaces the Start button. And remember, Rube Goldberg
will be smiling in his grave!

If you are in the Desktop, just press the windows key to
toggle you back and forth with Metro and the desktop.
In the desktop, you can also drag your mouse at a 45 deg
angle off the lower left edge of the screen, a little
metro looking box will pop up at the edge to click on,
but if you miss at all, you will probably start IE
from the task bar, like I did several times. (I "might"
have called W8 a bad word or two over it.) Much easier
on the nerves just to press the Windows key and
a lot faster.

Once in Metro, find a blank space and Right Click on
it. Then click on the "All Apps" icons that pops up.
Eventually you will find what you want. (I have
been using Search to find what I want a lot.) Don't
expect it to be intuitive and you should be okay.

And, whatever you do, *do not, do not* let the customer
hear you swear.

-T

"Gordon" wrote in message ...


Isn't this called the Quick Access Menu, now? Press the Windows Key
and the X key and see if this works about like the Start menu used to
work.


Quick Access is a term associated with a toolbar (first appearing in Office) called the Quick Access Toolbar and optionally located
above or below the Ribbon, hidden or unhidden.

For short, it is often abbreviated as QAT and appearing in other MSFT products (in conjunction with Ribbon based UI's)

--
....winston
msft mvp

Hi, Todd.

In the desktop, you can also drag your mouse at a 45 deg angle off the
lower left edge of the screen, a little metro looking box will pop up at
the edge to click on, but if you miss at all, you will probably start IE

Takes a while to get used to this, but...DO NOT click ON the little box.
Moving your mouse back to hit that box makes that box disappear as soon as
the mouse gets back onscreen - and your mouse-click registers on the Taskbar
(probably). Let the mouse cursor stay off-screen - seemingly - but actually
in the extreme corner of the screen, and click there. Same in the other
corners. And note that when the corner pop-up appears, other things happen.
If you keep the pointer at the edge and move it vertically, more things
might appear. (One that I've found useful, since my Clock gadget is gone in
Win8, is to put the mouse pointer in the lower right corner - to make the
Charms bar appear - and then slide it up the right edge an inch or so to
make the big clock icon appear onscreen. Kind of clumsy, but at least I
know when it's time for my coffee break.) If you explore, you'll find
several more such "unadvertised specials". ;)

Slowly, these gestures are becoming intuitive to me - but that's an
oxymoron, isn't it? If it were truly intuitive it would not require
training, would it? Maybe it is becoming "physical memory" as I use Win8
and train myself, both physically and mentally.

RC
-- --
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX

Microsoft Windows MVP (2002-2010)
Windows Live Mail 2012 (Build 16.4.3505.0912) in Win8 Pro


"Todd" wrote in message ...

On 01/13/2013 12:42 PM, Yousuf Khan wrote:
I'm now starting to feel like one of those old men who got totally
confused when Microsoft slightly changed the start menu between Windows
XP and Vista or 7, and before that when they changed it between Windows
95/98 and 2000/XP. They had such a hard time figuring things out, even
though things weren't really all that different if just tried a little
harder.

So recently a friend of mine got a new laptop with Windows 8
pre-installed on it. And although we found out how to get back to
somewhat classic interface, quickly enough, it's not exactly the same as
the classic interface is it? It doesn't have anything like start/search
button in Windows 7? I know we can install many 3rd party start button
emulators for Windows 8, but what if we're working at someone's Windows
8 computer that doesn't have these installed? We're stuck with using
whatever is already pre-installed on Win8. Is there a start button
hidden away in Win 8 somewhere, that we hadn't discovered?

Yousuf Khan

Hi Yousuf,

I understand you not wanting to put third party utilities
on other people's machines. Plus you really should force
yourself to learn the stinker in its glorious, original
incarnation.

The start menu has been replaced by the Metro screen. It
gets called the Start Screen a lot. Get it? Start Screen
replaces the Start button. And remember, Rube Goldberg
will be smiling in his grave!

If you are in the Desktop, just press the windows key to
toggle you back and forth with Metro and the desktop.
In the desktop, you can also drag your mouse at a 45 deg
angle off the lower left edge of the screen, a little
metro looking box will pop up at the edge to click on,
but if you miss at all, you will probably start IE
from the task bar, like I did several times. (I "might"
have called W8 a bad word or two over it.) Much easier
on the nerves just to press the Windows key and
a lot faster.

Once in Metro, find a blank space and Right Click on
it. Then click on the "All Apps" icons that pops up.
Eventually you will find what you want. (I have
been using Search to find what I want a lot.) Don't
expect it to be intuitive and you should be okay.

And, whatever you do, *do not, do not* let the customer
hear you swear.

-T