Win 8 has a start menu, contrary to common belief

Just discovered this today and I'm wondering why it isn't already all over the interwebz.

(1) Put shortcuts for every program on the desktop that you would normally have pinned in your start menu. Or put folders of shortcuts if you want them in particular groupings.
(2) Go to taskbar properties, select the "toolbars" tab, and select "desktop."
(3) Check "desktop."

You now have the word "desktop" with a down-arrow below it on your taskbar. CLICK IT AND BEHOLD.

A menu roughly the size of the Windows 7 start menu appears. All the shortcuts and documents you placed on the desktop are there. It also includes tiered folders for "Libraries," "My documents," "Computer" "Network," "control panel," etc. The folders you placed on the desktop now appear as tiered folders in this menu.

I'd post a screenshot but half the files on my desktop have client names on them that I'd have to redact, and I'm lazy.

 

does 8 have snipping tool? that's an awesome little 'app'

 

I've got one on my Vaio Duo 11 but I don't know if it comes from Sony or from Microsoft.

I'll take a screenshot later and just redact out the names; I was just feeling lazy when I started the thread.

 

I think its a windows thing... its awesome for screenshots that you can 'snip' so you don't have to redact.

 

This work around was doing the rounds on the web a while back when the RC's were made public. Personally I don't see the point. If you want the start menu that badly just downgrade to 7 or buy a Windows 7 machine. They're still being sold.

 

I didn't mean to make this a thread about Win 8 versus Win 7 overall. Just pointing out for people who have Win 8 who don't want to use start screen pins or start screen search to launch programs, there's still an option for a tiered menu on the taskbar.

And here's the screenshot. I just threw some shortcuts and folders on the desktop to show how it functions.

Spoiler

 

you're using windows? not good.

 

Thanks for the helpful contribution. Yes, like roughly 90% of PC users, I primarily use Windows. I guess we're all morons compared to the enlightened like you. But please don't turn this into an "OMG mah Appel is bettah" or "OMG mah Linux bawx is bettah" thread.

 

did i say you were a moron? did i say i was enlightened?

no, i said windows was "not good". poor you!

 

So if you see a thread dedicated to a particular technique in judo, and someone went into it and instead of commenting about that technique, said "OMG judo sucks"...what would you call that?

 

the impression that you have that i'm trolling your thread is inaccurate.

are we done now?

 

It's not actually as high as 90% any more. But you're right. No need for a ****ing contest. Behave people.

 

If you have to use Windows 8 but would like the functionality of a proper Start Menu, have a look at http://www.classicshell.net/

It's free and very useful

 

There are a number of good third-party solutions if you want a taskbar-based start menu. Classic Shell, Pokki, and Start8 are the three I hear mentioned most often. I was just tossing out the "desktop menu" option as something for people who may prefer not to use a third-party solution or may be barred by doing so by workplace policies.

 

You can also bring back the quick launch bar in W7 via similar methods.

Clearly you're all unwashed masses, as I watch from the hollowed towers of machines of UNIX past. For you cannot compete with the Sun's uptimes, nor the breath of O2 next to me; you shall all cower before the Octane's power!

Okay, I overdid it a little. But I do like these old systems much better then Linux or Windows (IRIX forever! and Solaris, you can stay over there)

 

Next service pack is promising promising bring back the start menu.

 

Well that's sort of true. It's supposedly not the traditional start button with a menu. It just takes you back to the start screen. Which is what the hotspot down in that corner does. It seems to be purely cosmetic and not what people actually wanted.

http://www.neowin.net/news/windows-...ghts-on-the-return-of-the-start-button-for-81

So if you want a "proper" start button then you're still going to have to use one of these third party products.

 

Is this really about users not wanting to see/have too radical of changes for their OS?

 

Yeah, and frankly I'm glad it was posted. Have you ever used Windows 8? It's GUI is pretty much an abomination of The Antichrist. Unless you're using a touch screen, which the vast majority are not.

 

Indeed

Im not one to stay up on current trends just to be "in fashion"

I would think that W* was set in mind for touch screen users