“Microsoft Corp is bringing back the Windows ‘start’ button, offering a stripped-down version among a slew of improvements aimed at winning over tablet users and placating PC customers alienated by Windows 8,” Bill Rigby reports for Reuters. “The world’s largest software company is looking to re-energize sales of its latest Windows version, which has not made the splash with computer users it was hoping for.”
MacDailyNews Take: What makes Microsoft “the world’s largest software company,” exactly? Apple is worth more than Microsoft, makes more money than Microsoft, and Apple makes software. Add up Apple’s iTunes software alone on OS X, Windows, and iOS devices and its install base is larger than any piece of software (POS) that Microsoft has ever excreted.
Rigby reports, “Shipments of traditional PCs – the most reliable gauge of Windows’ popularity – are expected to fall almost 8 percent this year, while Microsoft’s Surface has taken less than 2 percent of the tablet market… Confirming speculation, Microsoft said the Windows 8.1 update will have a button in the bottom left corner of the screen that acts like the ‘start’ button in previous versions of Windows. Although it will not be labelled ‘start,’ it features the Windows logo and takes the user straight to a grid of applications.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Microsoft. Mired in the past, with no idea how to move forward.
So Windows users prefer to click on the Start button to turn off their computers?
Quintessential Microsoft.
precisely.
What it needs is a kill switch…
Just more of Zombie Ballmer’s crazy ideas…
Ballmer has great ideas. Microsoft wouldn’t be where it is today without Ballmer’s ideas.
For as long as it takes!
If you think that’s bad, see what they replaced it with Windows 8. Start menu to shut down is pure elegance compared to using mouse hot corners or swipe touch gestures to activate a hidden “charms” menu to shut down the computer.
I guess that is better than the current Windows 8 option of finding the (mostly) hidden charms “bar” that contains the Power option that has the shutdown option (if I remember correctly). It took my son a while to find it on his new laptop and even my brother-in-law that works for Microsoft said he had a hard time finding it the first time. Brilliant!
Well poor so and sos had no easy way of turning it off at all till now so at least this is a clear philanthropic move by the company that puts Bill Gates efforts clearly in the shadows.
I think a “Please Stop” button would be popular.
or “Make It Go Away!!!!!” 😎
Actually, this is what Microsoft calls an “enhancement.” Since this button will no longer be called “Start,” users no longer need to “click on the Start button to turn off their computers.” As a bonus, Microsoft kept the feature off Windows 8 for the first year, just so users will appreciate getting their “non-start” button back.
Ah, yes.. We will call it “Windows Classic”
Who ever turns off their computers?
Microsoft are the Baldrick of the software world…
‘(Apple)…. I’ve just thought of a cunning plan…’
Okay here it where it’s at: Microsoft does like a paradigm shift from 7 to 8 but hardly anybody likes 8 and want 7 back… Why consider 8 in the first place? The Lesson here: Microsoft wasn’t even pressurized by the stupid talking heads to change, but they did… And it’s a fu*kup… Apple is being pressurized to change by the stupid talking heads…. Will they cave in like a little ‘bitch’ on heat…?
God I hate Windows 7. With a passion. It takes me 10 minutes to find anything in that POS. I’ve never considered using Windows 8.
XP sucks way worse than 7. 8 sucks more than 7. 7 is the one. For whatever it’s worth.
The ‘Start’ button won’t be able to save Microsoft. They need to bring back the ‘End’ button.
They did! Push the button labeled with a circle and a vertical line.
The start button…LOL, yeah, that’ll do it. Microsoft’s problem solving skill at its best.
Too true!
Best things about Microsoft Windows:
1. The Start Button
2. The fact that their users require a Start button
3. The fact that they think the missing Start button is what is broken about Windows 8
4. The fact that they tout familiarity, then fly in the face of said familiarity
Innovation.
“We’re gonna party like its 1999!”
Sorry, but it’s too late now. You dun goofed, M$. Thankfully, I went Ubuntu before the ship sanked. (I have iPhone, iPad, and an HP laptop with Ubuntu. I don’t have enough money for MacBook, and I WILL not deal with M$ bull. Sue me.)
The MS attempt to appease stupid people.
Microsoft reverses the ‘APPLE MENU’ in attempt to increase Windows sales.
D’OH! You beat me to it!
sounds a lot like the Apple menu in the upper left of OS X…
I know, right? Everyone loves to copy Apple!
true dat
Oh ye (above) of little faith; the Start Button IS the solution.
It has been what’s missing.
It’s not just the start button—there are a host of changes, according to the article. Windows 8.1 features a vastly improved search function reminiscent of Spotlight, a grid of apps reminiscent of Launchpad, and now allows opening two windows simultaneously. Also, you can change the size of the tiles. Whoa.
Microsoft will formally announce the new feature set on Thursday. We can look forward to learning much more about these exciting advances in the Modern UI. They may seem more like retreats than advances, but who cares as long as you can now spend more time getting work done than trying to locate your stuff.
I’m sure you are right but it’s funny thinking that the solution to Microsoft’s trouble is bringing back the start button. Their problem started when they brought a tablet UI to a desktop before users learned the tablet UI.
Apple on the other hand created a whole new user experience for portable devices then brought the best (?) back the the Mac.
They were trying to claim a large chunk of the tablet market by making its interface familiar to its desktop installed base. Has backfired though in all honesty what other avenue did they have. Over time I guess it may give them some traction assuming he desktop market survives long enough to feed it.
I do care to get my work done which is why I have not used a microsoft product in the last fifteen years.
I found Windows 8 instantly appalling when I saw it demoed at the M$ store on a touch screen covered with fingerprints (and germs). I will never paw up my big desktop screen (ick!) and the idea that this is the future is a huge flop. I like my Apple keyboard because it is so easy to wipe off. Let the desktop computer be the truck and the iOS devices be the car. Trying to marry them together gets the ugliest minivan only a soccer mom could love.
well said!
Ah, the Windows El Dorado Ultra Home Edition!!
Can they bring back Windows NT 4 also? that was their best OS.
I’ll believe in Microsloth’s demise when I no longer see Windows on my Dr.’s computer, every Hospital I’ve ever been to’s computers, my Lawyer’s computers, my Accountants, car repair place, etc. etc. You can say the public is leaving the PC world, but unfortunately, businesses and universities/schools are not (some have both, but not as much as should). And the reasons I’ve heard is #1 budget, and #2 they have custom programs originally written for PC (or the businesses they have to deal with require them to run PC’s to communicate with them for their software integration that only run on Winduhz. Same old depressing stories. The day I go to the hospital and my life isn’t in the hands of a PC, then I’ll believe Ballmer and his Horde’s reign is over.
MacRaven speaks the truth.
What is most disappointing is that Apple is doing almost nothing to capitalize on Microsoft’s Windows 8 debacle. Where are the advertisements? Where are the “it just works” billboards? Where are Hodgman and Long? Where’s the special bundle sale on the store that gives some nominal amount off on their iGadget when they buy a Mac?
Microsoft may be doing many things wrong, but Cook doesn’t seem to be doing anything at all.
Amen brotha!
My doctor has a new iMac and iPad on his desk. 😉
running Fusion or Parallels?
Perfectly put by MacRaven. I’ll add MY business needs better business /office programs made by or for Apple. I’ve been waiting for 16 years. Apple does nothing. And now the tools I do use like Final Cut Pro are completely messed up. Certainly not for pros. I even had to buy windows bases machine a few times just to get stuff to my accounting firm. So friggin sad. Cook has no direction. There is a place where apple could sell ten times the macs they do called enterprise. Duh.
Wow so now there is even more confusion about the “start button” because according to Jensen Harris, who heads up the Windows User Experience team at MS, the start button is NOT coming back in Windows 8.1
http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/windows-8-1-microsoft-doubles-down-new-touch-interface-6C10126434
Keep em’ guessing Balmer!
You’re misinterpreting what they mean by this:
“The world’s largest software company is looking to…”
When they say “world’s largest”, they are not referring to the company, they are referring to the software. The Windows software is what… 16GB in size… for an operating system? 😛
Oh, man!! I tries yo say the same thing. You win!
“Tries yo.” I’m so hip, I won’t even say “tried to.”
Stupid fat fingers.
Siri IS intelligent.
😉
Waitaminute. This tremendous new version of Windows 8 will be available when? Not a good business plan when updates are expected in quarters. Like 3rd quarter of this year.
At least M$ was smart enough to recognize a mistake and correct it, just like Apple did with “save as”.
Slam my comment if you want, but even Apple makes mistakes.
Oooops!
To be fair, there are Mac users who have chosen to stick with OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard and do not like Lion/Mountain Lion. But it appears that the issue is much bigger in Windows land, where people don’t even want Win8 when they buy a new computer.
MS brings back the start button. Yeah, that’ll fix Microsoft…
It’s not the Start “Button” that people want, it’s the Start “Menu” that they want. Anyone can press a window key on a keyboard to get the metro grid styled menu. What people hate is the Metro. Bring back the slimmed down, list based, menu that slides up unobtrusively from the bottom of the screen.
When using a PC, nobody wants to be forced into a single task oriented tablet/phone interface, except maybe if they have no keyboard at all and are equipped with a touch enabled screen.
This is what’s wrong with Microsoft, they are so far out of touch with reality they are incapable of comprehending the issues.
Put in a BLOW UP button
MDN, I understand your confusion in hearing Microsoft being called the world’s largest software company, but I believe it is merely a misunderstanding on your part. Microsoft has been adding more and more bloat to its Windows OS over the years, and now it is the world’s largest software. The world’s largest software. Made by the company Microsoft. See? It’s easy!