Microsoft removing Start orb from Windows 8

Paul Thurrott has posted this week that Microsoft is removing the Start button from Windows 8.

There have been reports during the week that the button, which has been a standard on every Windows edition since at least 95, will be gone, and Thurrott says his "internal sources" within Microsoft have confirmed the move.

You will still be able to access the Start orb from the Windows button on keyboards or by hitting ctrl+esc on the keyboard. Additionally, if you "hover the mouse over the bottom left corner of the taskbar to bring up the Charms," you can mimic the Start orb function.

The Windows 8 Consumer Preview, aka beta, will be released soon, with a final version expected in the late summer of early fall.

Here is how the Windows 8 screen looks like without the Start Orb:

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 5 Feb 2012 12:23

A5J4DX

a good move

5.2.2012 12:57 #1

core2kid

MS needs to stop being an OS X wannabe. OS X is nice and easy to use, but I love the similarity in Windows since 95. I know where things are for the most part.

5.2.2012 13:27 #2

SomeBozo

Originally posted by core2kid: MS needs to stop being an OS X wannabe. OS X is nice and easy to use, but I love the similarity in Windows since 95. I know where things are for the most part. I can't agree more... I'm an old windows user, i've used and use them day in and day out as a software tester myself, so i get very knowlegable where things are, but to be honest after vista, win7 and newer OS version things are harder to find from what i see. Look at the networking stuff for example, thing are moved around to help dumb it down or make it easier, all that was accomplished was when i need to setup network setting it now takes a good time longer when with win 3.11, win 96, NT, Server 2000 yada yada yada...

5.2.2012 14:03 #3

ddp

SomeBozo, i agree on the longer time with vista & later compared to earlier windows, pain in the ass.

5.2.2012 14:10 #4

core2kid

Originally posted by ddp: SomeBozo, i agree on the longer time with vista & later compared to earlier windows, pain in the ass. Call me crazy but I loved the Vista interface. I was somewhat disappointed that 7 didn't have the same thing. I still hate Windows 7's start menu. Vista's orb with the real quick launch and notification bar was good.

5.2.2012 15:21 #5

Hyasuma

so my ctrl+esc opens the cd tray on my Toshiba, hows that gonna effect my "star up orb" ?

Being nice always has its own consequences

5.2.2012 15:24 #6

SomeBozo

Originally posted by Hyasuma: so my ctrl+esc opens the cd tray on my Toshiba, hows that gonna effect my "star up orb" ?
Hey Hyasuma,

You might want to log a bug with T0shiba for doing the BS. My suggestion for you would be to refer Toshiba to the "Windows Standard Shortcut Keys", Check out this link... http://support.microsoft.com/kb/126449. You could raise and accessibility bug i.e. Section 508 and make it a real pain for them too :) For companies to violate section 508 it can be an extremely nasty for them, software i've worked on possibly could be banned from being sold within the entire EU, or prohibitive for companies to purchase in the U.S. So accessibility bugs can be down right nasty for companies.

I would suggest you ask T0shiba why this are doing the kind of crap...

HTH.

5.2.2012 17:05 #7

nonoitall

I don't really understand what was wrong with having a start button in "legacy" desktop mode...

Anymore I'm thinking that after XP loses support I'm going to be more at home with Linux. Windows loses its familiarity appeal when everything about it gets changed.

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5.2.2012 17:35 #8

xnonsuchx

Originally posted by core2kid: MS needs to stop being an OS X wannabe. OS X is nice and easy to use, but I love the similarity in Windows since 95. I know where things are for the most part.
It would be OK if they kept a true "Classic Mode" in it, but Vista/Win7 still bugs me that you have to find 3rd party utils to get anywhere near the classic mode interface of XP.

5.2.2012 17:45 #9

Jeffrey_P

I'll let you guys be the beta testers for Win8. There is no reason for me to upgrade to version 8 which looks like a damn smartphone OS.

Jeff

5.2.2012 22:54 #10

KillerBug

Why must microsoft mess with the few things they have gotten correct? Couldn't they focus on making a search tool that works correctly AND doesn't bog down the system? Or maybe they could make BSOD messages that actually say what is wrong rather than strange error codes? Or how about consolidating update packages so I don't have to install 80 different things (some of which must be installed in a specific order with a restart in-between) every time I install windows 7? Maybe they could even do something crazy like changing SVCHOST so that you were not forced to allow everything that uses it to access the internet just to allow one thing that uses it to access the internet?

Why must they spend time removing the start button, renaming "My Computer" to "Computer", and moving the "show desktop" button to the other side of the taskbar???

5.2.2012 23:16 #11

core2kid

Originally posted by KillerBug: Couldn't they focus on making a search tool that works correctly AND doesn't bog down the system?
Never had their search bog down my system especially since it indexes when the system is IDLE. You must have a really bad system or a failing hard drive.

Originally posted by KillerBug: maybe they could make BSOD messages that actually say what is wrong rather than strange error codes?
Easier to program in error codes and easier for tech support to troubleshoot error codes. If an average user has a failure, are they going to know what the error means or would they rather call in with an error code? Anyways, OS X's errors are shit. It's a god damn picture that says to reboot the system.

Originally posted by KillerBug: Or how about consolidating update packages so I don't have to install 80 different things
At least they're on top of their game. OS X would be the same way if it was mainstream. Pretty sure Ubuntu is like that, just not THAT often.

Originally posted by KillerBug: Maybe they could even do something crazy like changing SVCHOST so that you were not forced to allow everything that uses it to access the internet just to allow one thing that uses it to access the internet?
Don't quote me on this but isn't SVCHOST internal MS stuff? Why would you want to prevent it from doing what it's doing? Yea, there's SVCHOST viruses but I've been using my own Windows computer for 7-8 years and I haven't gotten a virus yet.

Originally posted by KillerBug:
Why must they spend time removing the start button, renaming "My Computer" to "Computer", and moving the "show desktop" button to the other side of the taskbar???
Not sure why the renamed it but why is it SUCH a big deal? Rename it to "MY Computer" if you really want, not that hard. Show desktop button is on the other side of the screen but it's a little more convenient in my opinion. It took me a whole day to get used to it...

5.2.2012 23:33 #12

Mysttic

To each their own...

6.2.2012 08:11 #13

dEwMe

Microsoft likes to alternate good/bad OS releases. 98SE good, ME crap, XP good, Vista crap, win7 good...Seems win8 is bound to be crap. Microsoft could change it up but obviously they have been happy with this pattern for years...

Just my $0.02,

dEwMe

6.2.2012 13:03 #14

ntense69

ive been a fan of ms since day one i skipped vista(to much of a ram hog) went from xp to 7 i like both but w8 looks like total crap i may make the switch to fully use linux

6.2.2012 15:11 #15

DXR88

the day DirectX becomes open source, will be the day Microsoft Dies.

7.2.2012 09:44 #16

hearme0

Originally posted by A5J4DX: a good move What the F***????????????

I'm not even gonna say anything unkind to you.

BAD IDEA........so now when those that use a PC centered around their home theatre don't have a keyboard nearby (maybe because their mouse is their "remote"), they're going to have to reach and/or get up to punch the button on their frakking keyboard?

That's like taking the doorknob off a door and relying upon an open window to let you in.

.............Hey..........I made a pun.........."open WINDOW"........Get it????

Get it????

HA HA HA

7.2.2012 18:04 #17

xnonsuchx

Originally posted by DXR88: the day DirectX becomes open source, will be the day Microsoft Dies.
Some game developers are already considering moving away from DirectX because they don't like MS being in charge of it. MS needs it as a way to sell newer OS's as upgrades.

7.2.2012 23:37 #18

DDR4life

"open window"
hahahahaha. I totally get it.

7.2.2012 23:48 #19

DIrtysocks (unverified)

You guys are a bunch of whiny pansies. You guys are so afraid of change and absolutely despise Windows 8 because you cannot accept any change in your life. Get over it people.

5.3.2012 14:50 #20

nonoitall

I guess now we know Steve Ballmer's Afterdawn username... :-P

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5.3.2012 16:53 #21

scorpNZ

All you old fuddy duddy's that can't do without the start button,that's right you know who you are! :p,well no need to reach for the heart pills there's a solution on it's way you can now all breath a sigh of relief & it's free.

http://wincustomize.com/article/419445/

lol..just think'n all this fuss over a start button,i'd hate think how you'd handle a few of wincustomize desktopx themes,start button would be the least of your worries :p

here check this out,the bottom left is the actual desktop screen shot the others are separate screenshots of either logon topleft,logout middle,entertainment window middle right,system info top right etc,etc fused as one picture,so no it doesn't look like that on the computer only one of those shots appear at a time & yes you get the star trek sounds when cliking on stuff including female computer voice on different links

http://skins16.wincustomize.com/3/6/306...iew-31-3806.jpg

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5.3.2012 23:53 #22

nonoitall

@scorpNZ: Not sure if you're just being sarcastic here or not. Decrying the removal of a useful desktop computing mechanism (which is not even two decades old) from a (supposedly) still desktop-friendly OS hardly makes anyone a fuddy-duddy who requires heart medication. If I need to install a third-party, closed source program just to productively navigate installed applications and settings on a $100+ desktop OS, I think I'll take the plunge and ditch Windows entirely for Linux. (Hardly the act of someone who's afraid of a little change, BTW. Some Linux distros make your screenshots look like home sweet home.)

You're equally entitled to your opinion though.

me on the Dragon Ball Encyclopedia
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6.3.2012 01:13 #23

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