Microsoft removes start button in Windows 8 (Yahoo!)

[Drew Wilson]

Say goodbye to the Windows start button. Microsoft has gotten rid of it from the latest build of Windows 8.

Hitting the Web over the weekend, screenshots of the new Windows 8 build display the "super bar," but without the start button orb on the left, according to The Verge. Build 8220 will be the final version released before the beta, now known as the Consumer Preview, debuts before the end of the month.

Until its untimely (or timely) death, the Windows 8 start button located in the Metro UI offered access to the search, share, devices, and settings panels. The Windows start button in the desktop simply returned you to the Metro UI.

To replace the start button, Microsoft will reportedly turn that space into a hot corner, sources told The Verge. Hovering your mouse or swiping your finger over that spot will bounce you back and forth between the Metro UI and the desktop in an attempt to offer a more consistent experience between the two environments.

More...

It's not like people have ever actually used the Start button anyway. I mean, who here has ever turned off their computer or put it on stand-by or sleep mode or crap like that? Next thing you know, people would be crazy enough to suggest that people used it to find the pre-installed games when first firing it up or something!

[mountain_rage]

It actually looks like Microsoft may be trying to streamline their interface, taking design cues from tablet and web interfaces. Good move on their part as even my mom and aunt seem to be able to figure out a tablet, and many website settings. The biggest issue I always found with users of computers was they did not grasp the old interface, or understand how to adjust settings. This is why many people find Apple OS easier to use, the settings are very simple and direct. If Microsoft truly hits the mark with their new interface, it could be great for the average computer user. Personally I'll probably want to tear my hair out looking for the settings I want, but that's me.

[Drew Wilson]

Yeah, I always hate it when settings are so buried like that. The sound in the Windows 7 setup of my parents computer is buried under an obscure right click > sounds. The system doesn't auto-detect which device they want to use and they end up having to ask me about "fixing the sound" every time. I have to manually reset the default device evey time they switch from the headset to speakers and from speakers back to headset.

[mountain_rage]

My solution would be to buy a line out splitter, plug their headset in with the speakers and have them both on at all times. Then disable the other sound options. Not worth the effort to keep fixing things people are too lazy to learn to fix themselves.