What's recommended as Windows 8(.1) UI replacement

[AnthonyL]

Got a laptop that's just had its hard drive replaced so back to 8. First step to install 8.1. Next step to make it look a bit more like Window 7.

I've had a look at for instance:

http://www.techradar.com/news/software/applications/windows-8-start-menu-replacements-6-free-apps-to-bring-the-start-button-back-1143117/2#articleContent

Any recommendations - doesn't have to be too clever. Thanks.

 

[Jim Cockfield]

I just use the free Classic Shell. I used it with Win 8 to start with, and still use it with Win 8.1 Update [1]

Get it here:

http://www.classicshell.net/

Chances are, the default settings will work just fine for you, where you have a more traditional start menu button and programs menu, and boot directly into the desktop instead of the new Metro Style start screen, etc.

But, if you don't like the defaults for some odd reason, it's features are highly customizable to suit individual tastes (even including the exact start menu style you want to see). Available Customization is one of it's strong points.

Again, it's also free.

But, there are some commercial options available, too. For example, Start8 is another popular choice that only costs $4.99 for personal use:

Product info:

http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/

Pricing:

http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/download.asp

But, I've never bothered to try Start8, since the free Classic Shell works just fine for me.

--
JimC
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[AnthonyL]

I just use the free Classic Shell. I used it with Win 8 to start with, and still use it with Win 8.1 Update [1]

Get it here:

http://www.classicshell.net/

Chances are, the default settings will work just fine for you, where you have a more traditional start menu button and programs menu, and boot directly into the desktop instead of the new Metro Style start screen, etc.

But, if you don't like the defaults for some odd reason, it's features are highly customizable to suit individual tastes (even including the exact start menu style you want to see). Available Customization is one of it's strong points.

Again, it's also free.

But, there are some commercial options available, too. For example, Start8 is another popular choice that only costs $4.99 for personal use:

Product info:

http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/

Pricing:

http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/download.asp

But, I've never bothered to try Start8, since the free Classic Shell works just fine for me.

Classic Shell sounds just fine - thanks.

 

[soloryb]

Another vote for Classic Shell

I got a hand-me-down Dell XPS12 convertible from my wife and it runs on that dreadful Windows 8.1.

All was dark and gloomy until I installed Classic Shell.

Now the universe makes sense again.

soloryb

 

[Ron AKA]

Got a laptop that's just had its hard drive replaced so back to 8. First step to install 8.1. Next step to make it look a bit more like Window 7.

There is no need with Windows 8.1 to resort to layering another application on top of 8.1 that will potentially cause conflicts and problems. They have built in simple tools to configure 8.1 to banish the Playschool Metro interface. Here are a couple of articles on how to do it.

How to Eradicate Metro from your Windows 8.1 PC

Metro Hater's Guide to Windows 8.1

 

[Jim Cockfield]

Got a laptop that's just had its hard drive replaced so back to 8. First step to install 8.1. Next step to make it look a bit more like Window 7.

There is no need with Windows 8.1 to resort to layering another application on top of 8.1 that will potentially cause conflicts and problems. They have built in simple tools to configure 8.1 to banish the Playschool Metro interface. Here are a couple of articles on how to do it.

How to Eradicate Metro from your Windows 8.1 PC

Metro Hater's Guide to Windows 8.1

Nope. Even though you can boot directly into the desktop and get a start menu button back again with the latest Win 8.1 updates; you're still using the new style "Playschool" ( as you put it) Start Menu tiles to find and start applications that you don't pin the the taskbar or desktop.

If you want a more traditional style start menu with a true menu hierarchy back again showing the main program with sub-menus for it's utilities (in other words, a more logical approach to grouping programs with their associated utilities, language packs, etc.), you'll need to go with a third party utility like Classic Start instead.

Perhaps we'll get a decent start menu back again with a more useful menu hierarchy structure with Windows 9.

But, so far (releases through Win 8.1 Update [1]), the effort that Microsoft has made to improve the menus has been minimal, which I suspect is one reason that most businesses have little interest in migrating from Win 7 yet (IMO, they'd be pretty darn stupid to move from Win 7 to Win 8.x at this point).

That's probably because Microsoft wants to show off the new style apps (forcing you to use the new style menu "tiles" for now, even though they have a start button again), so that you'll be inclined to get more apps from the Microsoft store and improve the usage of those types of applications, since Microsoft will make money on apps purchased from their app store (even if they're developed by third parties).

Whatever their reason for shoving the new apps down users' throats so that they're "in your face", I don't like it and will stick with using third party utilities like Classic Shell for now (and I have no intention of paying for the upgrade to Windows 9 to fix those types of issues if Microsoft decides to charge for that upgrade, just to get the same menu hierarchy they had with Windows 7 back again; since I can use free utilities for that purpose instead).

--
JimC
------

 

[Roland Wooster]

Start8 from www.stardock.com this is what I use on Win 8.1. It's one of the few menu replacement options that also works great on high resolution (4K) screens.



Roland.

 

[Jim Cockfield]

Got a laptop that's just had its hard drive replaced so back to 8. First step to install 8.1. Next step to make it look a bit more like Window 7.

There is no need with Windows 8.1 to resort to layering another application on top of 8.1 that will potentially cause conflicts and problems. They have built in simple tools to configure 8.1 to banish the Playschool Metro interface. Here are a couple of articles on how to do it.

How to Eradicate Metro from your Windows 8.1 PC

Metro Hater's Guide to Windows 8.1

IRT my last post, even one of the articles you mentioned points out some of it's drawbacks:

"Windows 8’s exiled Start button returns in Windows 8.1, but it’s missing a crucial component: The Start menu. Instead, clicking it dumps you on the modern UI Start screen."

The Metro hater's guide to Windows 8.1

Are you a desktop diehard? If you've got no use for the Start screen and Metro-style apps, I have some good news for you. Windows 8.1 has a handful of interface tweaks you can make that will put the Windows desktop back in charge. Here's what you need to do to make Windows 8.1 work like Windows...

www.zdnet.com

That article even mentions Start8 in the next paragraph.

Perhaps Microsoft will bring back a more sensible menu system with the introduction of Windows 9 so that we're not forced to see the new style screens at all when searching for and starting apps. But, I'm not holding my breath and will continue to use utilities like the free Classic Shell for now.

Nope. Even though you can boot directly into the desktop and get a start menu button back again with the latest Win 8.1 updates; you're still using the new style "Playschool" ( as you put it) Start Menu tiles to find and start applications that you don't pin the the taskbar or desktop.

If you want a more traditional style start menu with a true menu hierarchy back again showing the main program with sub-menus for it's utilities (in other words, a more logical approach to grouping programs with their associated utilities, language packs, etc.), you'll need to go with a third party utility like Classic Start instead.

Perhaps we'll get a decent start menu back again with a more useful menu hierarchy structure with Windows 9.

But, so far (releases through Win 8.1 Update [1]), the effort that Microsoft has made to improve the menus has been minimal, which I suspect is one reason that most businesses have little interest in migrating from Win 7 yet (IMO, they'd be pretty darn stupid to move from Win 7 to Win 8.x at this point).

That's probably because Microsoft wants to show off the new style apps (forcing you to use the new style menu "tiles" for now, even though they have a start button again), so that you'll be inclined to get more apps from the Microsoft store and improve the usage of those types of applications, since Microsoft will make money on apps purchased from their app store (even if they're developed by third parties).

Whatever their reason for shoving the new apps down users' throats so that they're "in your face", I don't like it and will stick with using third party utilities like Classic Shell for now (and I have no intention of paying for the upgrade to Windows 9 to fix those types of issues if Microsoft decides to charge for that upgrade, just to get the same menu hierarchy they had with Windows 7 back again; since I can use free utilities for that purpose instead).

 

[Ron AKA]

Jim I can't be bothered to read your long post. Windows 8.1 when you set it up properly works fine. No need to add software which will conflict and cause problems. I like it.

 

[Austinian]

Jim I can't be bothered to read your long post. Windows 8.1 when you set it up properly works fine. No need to add software which will conflict and cause problems. I like it.

What problems have you seen with Classic Shell?

 

[Ron AKA]

Jim I can't be bothered to read your long post. Windows 8.1 when you set it up properly works fine. No need to add software which will conflict and cause problems. I like it.

What problems have you seen with Classic Shell?

Nothing personally because I have no need for it. The most reliable software on my PC is the software I don't have. Same philosophy with running Windows Defender. That is all I use and it works perfectly. I had nothing but problems with third party software.

 

[digital ed]

Jim I can't be bothered to read your long post. Windows 8.1 when you set it up properly works fine. No need to add software which will conflict and cause problems. I like it.

What problems have you seen with Classic Shell?

Nothing personally because I have no need for it. The most reliable software on my PC is the software I don't have. Same philosophy with running Windows Defender. That is all I use and it works perfectly. I had nothing but problems with third party software.

I think it is unfair to imply that someone may/will have problems with a program with which you have no experience. Of course, you are free to choose to use it or not. My point is that it is not right to scare someone from using it that might benefit from it.

I have Win 8.1 on 3 computers in our house and Classic Shell is installed on each one. Zero problems.

I installed Classic Shell on my girlfriend's laptop because I knew she would be frustrated with the Metro interface. For all intents and purposes she operates it exactly the same as she did the Win Xp Pro that was on her old laptop.

 

[Ron AKA]

You always take a risk when you put unnecessary software on your computer. Classic Shell is in that category. Set Windows 8.1 up as it is capable of and you have solved the problem. It takes about 15 minutes at most.

 

[Austinian]

Jim I can't be bothered to read your long post. Windows 8.1 when you set it up properly works fine. No need to add software which will conflict and cause problems. I like it.

What problems have you seen with Classic Shell?

Nothing personally because I have no need for it. The most reliable software on my PC is the software I don't have. Same philosophy with running Windows Defender. That is all I use and it works perfectly. I had nothing but problems with third party software.

Then why say that it "will conflict and cause problems"?

I have had no problems at all with CS on two separate computers.

 

[dradam]

Jim I can't be bothered to read your long post. Windows 8.1 when you set it up properly works fine. No need to add software which will conflict and cause problems. I like it.

What problems have you seen with Classic Shell?

Nothing personally because I have no need for it. The most reliable software on my PC is the software I don't have. Same philosophy with running Windows Defender. That is all I use and it works perfectly. I had nothing but problems with third party software.

Then why say that it "will conflict and cause problems"?

I have had no problems at all with CS on two separate computers.

It's pretty easy to go back and see that he said it "will POTENTIALLY cause problems". And he's right, in so far as you are adding yet another point of possible failure or conflict.

 

[Sean Nelson]

Jim I can't be bothered to read your long post. Windows 8.1 when you set it up properly works fine. No need to add software which will conflict and cause problems. I like it.

What problems have you seen with Classic Shell?

Nothing personally because I have no need for it. The most reliable software on my PC is the software I don't have. Same philosophy with running Windows Defender. That is all I use and it works perfectly. I had nothing but problems with third party software.

Then why say that it "will conflict and cause problems"?

I have had no problems at all with CS on two separate computers.

It's pretty easy to go back and see that he said it "will POTENTIALLY cause problems". And he's right, in so far as you are adding yet another point of possible failure or conflict.

My problem with Ron's argument is that it applies to everything you install. "Better not install Microsoft Office, it might conflict and cause problems". Well yeah, but that's what I bought my computer for, duh.

I have no problem with Ron deciding not to run software he doesn't need. But it sounds to me like he's saying "I don't need it therefore you shouldn't install it because it might cause problems". IMHO it's not his place to decide what other people need or would find useful.

 

[K E Hoffman]

Got a laptop that's just had its hard drive replaced so back to 8. First step to install 8.1. Next step to make it look a bit more like Window 7.

There is no need with Windows 8.1 to resort to layering another application on top of 8.1 that will potentially cause conflicts and problems. They have built in simple tools to configure 8.1 to banish the Playschool Metro interface. Here are a couple of articles on how to do it.

How to Eradicate Metro from your Windows 8.1 PC

Metro Hater's Guide to Windows 8.1

I Tried Windows 8 and ended up skipping it because I didn't like the touch interface being pushed on me. So no for PC I was not a fan of the Windows 8 Phone UI as the main desktop UI. "Like it on the phone.. not on my desktop"

With Windows 8.1 I have started using what's good like the start screen and apps screen for how much software I have installed being that its 2D vs 1D actually gets me to stuff quicker..

And there is the right click menu for key items like Command, power functions Control and explorer.. etc. Since I run my task bar vertically I actually get two start buttons one as "charm" in the lower corner and the one at the top of the task bar.

I have to smile at Jim's "Playschool" reference. Same reaction to window interfaces in the 1980's and even early 1990. Even the same name calling for what is now defended as "The Serious" way to do computing.

Someone chooses not to adapt.. and it is a choice, as I chose not to adapt to Win 8. But to justify that lets make fun of it make me smile. I hope I never get so set un my ways.. I never want to find a way to get the best out of what is new.. vs discarding it as "too new fangled"

After running a month in Windows 8.1 where I live in the desktop 90% of the time.. Use the start screen with the scroll wheel to fly around to my apps and also get some quick updates on the Live tiles I would not go back to Just a start menu. Win 8 was over bearing on the touch IU / APP interface. Microsoft even for a while was trying to remove the Community / Free Version of Visual Studio for Desktop programming.. last time I looked it was back as an option Win 8 didn't get along well with the mouse. Win 8.1 actually for the first time uses the capability of the mouse fully Frankly once I laid out my start screen right.. I realized the old Menu was a waste of the mouse it as still a bit of a reference to the old DOS menu systems.

Can't be that bad.. They are already creating shell enhancements for Linux to emulate it

http://www.upubuntu.com/2011/10/how-to-install-windows-8-metro-style.html

I now for lots of reasons like Win 8.1 better than Win 7 (underling OS is better).. I have my PC status gadgets back on the desktop.. I run a few live tiles like sports, news, weather, Facebook. but I have found the News App in Win 8.1 (for sports too) to be a much more useful way of moving around the news scanning for what interests me than any website so far.

Why would I want to limit myself to the past when I can have it and under my control the best of the new. And I stress under my control. To the point.. I would not trade the well set up start screen and right click menu for the old start menu. (that does surprise me)

 

[Austinian]

Why would I want to limit myself to the past when I can have it and under my control the best of the new. And I stress under my control. To the point.. I would not trade the well set up start screen and right click menu for the old start menu. (that does surprise me)

That's an entirely reasonable attitude. I have not yet had any need for anything Metro, but if I find a superior Metro app I want, I'd not hesitate to install and use it.

I don't need a "Start" screen/menu for anything frequently used; a long time ago I started putting every application I use more than once a week or so in a custom toolbar for my vertical taskbar (I hope that's the correct terminology); one-click access to all important applications in a very compact, hidable space.

For seldom-used apps, the old-style hierarchical Start menu works for me, as it occupies very little screen space when unused and does not require me to leave the main desktop at all.

Of course, since I began making regular use of Linux's nicely configurable KDE UI when possible, the whole Windows 7/8/9 controversy is gradually becoming less important to me.

 

[dradam]

Jim I can't be bothered to read your long post. Windows 8.1 when you set it up properly works fine. No need to add software which will conflict and cause problems. I like it.

What problems have you seen with Classic Shell?

Nothing personally because I have no need for it. The most reliable software on my PC is the software I don't have. Same philosophy with running Windows Defender. That is all I use and it works perfectly. I had nothing but problems with third party software.

Then why say that it "will conflict and cause problems"?

I have had no problems at all with CS on two separate computers.

It's pretty easy to go back and see that he said it "will POTENTIALLY cause problems". And he's right, in so far as you are adding yet another point of possible failure or conflict.

My problem with Ron's argument is that it applies to everything you install. "Better not install Microsoft Office, it might conflict and cause problems". Well yeah, but that's what I bought my computer for, duh.

Indeed. It is certainly true that every new program you install has the potential for conflicts and errors, more so for a program that runs in the background the entire time your machine is on. So, if that task can be accomplished at the OS level, why not do that instead?

I have no problem with Ron deciding not to run software he doesn't need. But it sounds to me like he's saying "I don't need it therefore you shouldn't install it because it might cause problems". IMHO it's not his place to decide what other people need or would find useful.

An odd sentiment in a Windows 8 thread. Or, is it a very very common sentiment in a Windows 8 thread?

 

[Patco]

I have to smile at Jim's "Playschool" reference. Same reaction to window interfaces in the 1980's and even early 1990. Even the same name calling for what is now defended as "The Serious" way to do computing.

Ah, yes... I remember when XP was introduced, it was roundly criticized as having a "Fisher-Price" UI, and people changing it to the "Classic" interface. ;-)