TechRepublic article on creating a Win8 start button
 

And an article on adding a Start menu type button ...

Add a self-made Start button to the Windows 8 desktop | TechRepublic

^....i'm sorry, but WTF was that?

figure H is just the regular metro start screen?

just move your mouse to the bottom left corner and left-click, it would do the same thing. or just press your win key.

I dont understand why people like adding this on. Just press windows key and type for whatever you want to launch. Thats all I use it for in Windows 7 anyways.

Why do I need a START button???
 

While the missing "START" button has been noted by many, after a month or so of playing with Win8 I'm not sure why I'd want to load an aftermarket START button. Simply go to the corner, the "Metro" Start screen is available to there and if you have not either pined your desired program to the start menu, or to the task bar (in both the desktop or start page) or added an icon for the program to your desktop windows, then you do have to press the right mouse botton and press on the "all programs} icon and then voila a full list of all the available programs. Have too many to sort through? (they are alphabetical by group) you can type the name of the app or program and the auto search window opens.

For the most part, all the programs I want to have handy I either pin to that START (Metro) page, create an icon in desktop, or pin to the taskbar.

So why do I need a START button???

Its NOT the 'start' button we are pissed off about. Its the missing MENU hitting the start button brought up. For anyone with a lot of programs installed a FULL SCREEN interface with down right UGLY ass icons is not a solution. And NO remembering the names of the exe / app is NOT a solution. What this (modern equivalent) DOS with a fancy GUI BS that MS is pawning off on people is a major step backwards.

Kudos to him for attempting to come out with a solution, but he's missing the point. As AkG mentioned it isn't the button that's lacking, it's the configurable menu with subfolders in a directory tree structure. All this basically does is put the "desktop" icon from the side swipebar (Charms menu?) to the taskbar. Having a button that provides me with the same flat "looks like they created shortcuts for every app onto the desktop" Metro screen isn't adding any value.

Internet polls are notoriously bad especially when it comes to a controvertial subject like this, but there's almost always a grain of truth if you dig through the fan/hater votes. I think it's pretty telling that the Max PC poll on intention to purchase win8 had 60% respond that they'll never do so even when one of the other responses was only for a touch enabled device. (I'm not in that camp, I hate the interface on a desktop, but really like it on my tablet).

when you said that it got me thinking I read this some where and I did when I was reading up on Windows 3.0 Wiki. it reads just like what Win8 metro does, even kind looks like WIN 3.0

"programs File Manager and Program Manager in Windows 3.0, with the Program Manager taking on the role of the program menu. The Program Manager was a full windowed application, which required the whole screen to be used effectively. It consisted of a simple multiple document interface which allowed users to open "program groups" and then execute the shortcuts to programs contained within."

Hover your mouse in the bottom left corner of your screen and right-click.






You're welcome. :punk:

/sarcasm And....you get magically get a menu tree and not that craptacular icon grid layout that no one really likes? WOW what a great hint.
....Just checked....
Nope. Still the same crap.
/sarcasm

This is the problem with MS and fanbois. Anyone who doesnt think their latest and greatest is an improvement must be an idiot. Try using that layout when you have 50 - 60 programs installed...each with a couple icons each...hell try it will 30 installed and see how 'effecient' it is vs a menu Tree. :/

The grid layout and search option is crap for the desktop. Utter crap. I've been using PCs since Dos 2 days. Windows 8 is the closest modern replication of Windows 3 that I have ever seen....except Win 3 had more 'window' support and was less buggy. It was fun (not really) trying it but its being nuked and win 7 is being put back on. Thank god for technet as I would NOT pay for this garbage. Hell I would refuse to use it UNLESS was PAID to do so on a desktop.....tablet. Yes, its good. Smart even. Desktops...no. Kill this crap with fire.

So very well said. I just looked at my start menu and counted. I have under all programs 15 top level shortcuts and 120 folders. Now I'm not going to go and count each and every icon but I would venture a guess of say 300-400. No imagine that on a metro style start screen, it would be complete crap.

Also people talk about just hitting the windows key and type for the search, well unfortunately I have found it worse than the windows 7 search. Why? Because it separates the results. With win 7 it would group all your results together whether it is a program or setting option but in win 8 it means you have to type what you want then move the mouse to select settings to find the correct result. I might not have worded it right but either way I found the search more cumbersome than in win 7.

And like AkG said this is so close to windows 3 that it is not even funny.