Is Microsoft killing off the Windows Start button?

Tin (Regular user):

I can think of a few cases where "hovering" over the "bottom corner" is going to be unpleasant - people with disabilities come to mind first. Touch interfaces are another. And virtual or remote machines could prove interesting when running in a window.

Isn't Windows 8 supposed to be "the same" on tablets and desktops? How does it go with a touch screen to try and grab that bottom pixel?

If MS go ahead with most of this new crap, they're going to have another Vista on their hands - good news for Apple (and Linux to a lesser extent) I guess.

McBanjo (New user):

Apple hasn't had a start button....ever. Won't be much of an improvement.

ss-rotel (Senior Forumologist):

everything so far has a registry hack to revert to "win 7 clasic"

i'm sure there will be something that will turn it back on

seriously, i run rainmeter and have scripted my most use apps anyway. i rarely use the stat bubble on my gaming rig, (use it all the time on my lappy, but only for the "search" i'm sure i could script something that'll do the same thing if i could be bothered/had the time

scross (New user):

the start button is really just another bit of navigation I don't need - simplifying the desktop will ever be a bad thing - especially for people with disabilities :)

Potoroo (Frequent poster):

"It's possible that Microsoft may reintroduce the Start button if there is enough demand"

How would MS know if there was enough demand since it goes out of its way to make it hard for users other than giant corporations to ever give it feedback?

ss-rotel (Senior Forumologist):

quote - How would MS know if there was enough demand

Windows 8 doesn't sell??? i think that'd do it yeah?

Potoroo (Frequent poster):

Quoting ss-rotel:
Windows 8 doesn't sell??? i think that'd do it yeah?

That simply misses the point. Win8 with or without a Start button will sell according to the same pattern as every previous version of Windows. OEM installations will lead the way and a combination of curiosity and attrition will drive the upgrading of existing installations over time. That has nothing to do with the fact that there is no effective way for the vast majority of ordinary users to make their feelings known to Microsoft, much less have any confidence that MS will pay any attention. But they sometimes do listen to the big companies.

For example, many years ago MS added APIs to NT's login system so the CBA could add its own security front end for its users. The CBA got this done because it was one of the largest users of NT in the world and accordingly had access to MS's decision makers. On the other hand, do you really think MS has staff poring over every web forum or blog on the net to find out what the great unwashed think or want?

MS has made a lot of bad design decisions over the years but that hasn't done squat to stop or even slow down the Windows juggernaut. MS's current agenda, it seems, is to force the world into a 'one UI fits all' paradigm, no matter how dumb that idea is, and there is bugger all you or I can do about that.

ss-rotel (Senior Forumologist):

that point i was making was to comment on how will they know if removing the start was a good idea, and to replace the start button if there is demand... it's not selling as well as they hoped.

Of corse it'll sell, but like Vista, XP was still better when it was first released, so sales weren't great.

windows 7 is a great op system, so win8 would have to be something special, to make me wanna upgrade.