Ballmer: The Whole Screen Is A Start Button

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No start button in Windows 8? Steve Ballmer says the whole damn screen is a start button. :)

After his keynote in New York on Thursday, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer was asked by The Associated Press whether there was any chance of bringing it back. His reply: "You've got a whole screen as a start button." It's a reference to the screen of tiles.
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It does have the word "Start" at the top unlike the Start Button that hasn't had the word "Start" on it by default since XP.
 
God help us all. Windows 8, for the first time in my life, has me seriously considering switching over to OSX
 
dr.stevil said:
God help us all. Windows 8, for the first time in my life, has me seriously considering switching over to OSX
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Because your answer to learning a new OS is learning a new OS?

Fear of change makes people do some really stupid shit...
 
dr.stevil said:
God help us all. Windows 8, for the first time in my life, has me seriously considering switching over to OSX
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Oooor you COULD just stick with Windows 7? Your statement doesn't really make sense...not like Windows 8 is a mandatory upgrade for all PC's or something...
 
dr.stevil said:
God help us all. Windows 8, for the first time in my life, has me seriously considering switching over to OSX
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Really? You can't use Windows 8, so you go with a whole new OS because it's easier than to change the Start menu? Ok, that can't be the only reason. Yes, there are some things wrong with Windows 8. But, enlighten me: what is so bad about Windows 8 that makes you want to go to a completely different OS that you have to learn?
 
It's kind of scary how someone just can't get why nobody likes this turd. It isn't because it's "different" it's because it's just full of easily solvable annoyances like these. :p
 
Steve said:
No start button in Windows 8? Steve Ballmer says the whole damn screen is a start button. :)
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Steve Ballmer should wake up and realize there is no "start button" the whole damn screen he talks about is a start menu. The button that is missing in my honest opinion is where they failed. When you hit the invisible start menu thingy that is hidden on the bottom left, there is no option to shut down, which instead is magically hidden behind a menu you have to force out by stroking the right side of the screen. It is completely counter-intuitive from what people are familiar with.
 
Did Microsoft even have user trials before they put this out to the public? They are acting like they have no idea why people don't like drastic changes to a windows GUI.
 
MS could have saved themselves a LOT of complaints and critics if they just had the option.
 
DeathPrincess said:
It's kind of scary how someone just can't get why nobody likes this turd. It isn't because it's "different" it's because it's just full of easily solvable annoyances like these. :p
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It's like seeing Honey Boo Boo's mom. Just because she's ugly, you're going to switch sides? Doesn't seem too logical.

I don't like the Start Screen. I'm switching to OSX. When did they discontinue Windows 7? Oh wait, they didn't.
 
I love it when companies get so big that instead of giving the customers what they want, they start telling the customers what they want.
 
Super-D said:
I love it when companies get so big that instead of giving the customers what they want, they start telling the customers what they want.
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You overestimate the majority of customers. They want simple, easy to use devices. Idiocricy style. Yes, that is the direction things are going. Us power users are less than 5% (probably a lot less) of the total. They aren't making these things for us. They are making them for the audience of Honey Boo Boo and Jersey Shore.
 
Ur_Mom said:
It's like seeing Honey Boo Boo's mom. Just because she's ugly, you're going to switch sides? Doesn't seem too logical.

I don't like the Start Screen. I'm switching to OSX. When did they discontinue Windows 7? Oh wait, they didn't.
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I didn't mean you? :p

As a company Microsoft seem entirely in the dark why there has been such a negative reaction to this, and just seem to ignore the negative reaction or belittle it. But 95% of it could be very easily solved, they just don't seem to want to impede "their vision". If they wanted a perfect OS for them, they should have released what the public wanted and then released the current Windows 8 as an internal version. It seems too shaped by their personal preferences that what people actually want. :D
 
I love the posts where people say: "Windows 8 is going to make me switch to Mac or Linux." It reminds me of the joke where the 18 year old boy is shouting at his parents: "I'm tired of everyone here always telling me what to do! I'm going to go join the Marines!"

Enjoy your new iMac, guys! I hear it's even more stylish this year! Make sure your old gear, and all your old software, gets a good home!
 
dr.stevil said:
God help us all. Windows 8, for the first time in my life, has me seriously considering switching over to OSX
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Looking forward to your frustration in search of maximize button. Hint: There is none. There is best fit button (the green one), which sometimes does maximize, but in most cases it doesn't; and the fullscreen button, which maximizes app on one screen, but hides app on all secondary displays. :p
 
i havent used win8 yet, and i will get it when i build my next computer. i have no doubt i will be able to use it. see, i am intelligent person and a problem solver, so looking up ONE THING to figure out how to do it because it's different than what i'm used to does not make me RAGEQUIT FOREVER. really, i'm surprised any of you have ever beaten a video game or dated a girl or managed to feed yourselves if you give up this easily.
 
Super-D said:
I love it when companies get so big that instead of giving the customers what they want, they start telling the customers what they want.
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Well, the customers aren't always right ... remember the old Henry Ford quote, "If I'd asked my customers what they wanted they'd have said a faster horse" ... I am not saying this was the right decision for MS but sometimes you do have to go in new directions since the customer isn't always the best barometer for change ;)
 
blackscreen said:
Because your answer to learning a new OS is learning a new OS?

Fear of change makes people do some really stupid shit...
Click to expand...

In regards to Windows 8 I think the better way to word this would be:

Changing shit (Metro) out of fear (not being hip enough) is some really stupid shit that people do (Microsoft Engineers)...

I'm all for changing things up and embrace new technologies but that's because I'm in IT and I enjoy it. What people fail to comprehend here is not EVERYONE wants to learn new shit all the time. It's not that they are "fearful of it" they just want things to work because it's simply a tool for them. I equate it to getting in the car, turning the key and having the car start and NOT caring to understand all the mechanics involved in the process of the engine firing over. Users simply care that the car starts.

After seeing Windows 8 for the first time, I can completely see where Microsoft is trying to go with things. I can also see why my end users and others around the world are going to hate it.

The problem is people don't want to relearn a new OS, especially for a business computer interface that they've used for the last 20 some odd years. They want to sit down at their keyboard, click on start and open their application and get their jobs done. They don't want to be in a clusterfuck of interfaces for an OS that was designed to exist on tablets.

Point in case, I can't fault anyone for wanting to go to an OSX installation over Metro. At least now that looks more like Windows than Windows 9 metro does. :)
 
I just don't understand Microsoft's thought process. I really don't.

Even if Windows 8 is built looking forward, how hard could it possibly be to integrate a simple "start" menu equivalent, and just make your darn customers happy? We would all shut up and be more interested in the new features, I'm sure.

Another thing: many years ago, Microsoft introduced the "windows" key to the keyboard, and I think it is a great thing: they actually got all keyboard manufacturers on-board rather quickly, and it's been very useful, universally accepted.. Now.... How difficult could it possibly be to add a dedicated key to the keyboard, that opens up a small pop-up, that asks me IF I WANT TO TURN THE PC OFF !!! (or hibernate/or standby).

Really... I would have loved to have been the fly on the wall when Microsoft was discussing WHY Windows 8 needs more than one or two clicks to be turned off, and why the command isn't right in front of me... seems to me they really want to kill-off the traditional PC desktop way before anyone else does. What am I supposed to replace a traditional desktop with? A large touchscreen all-in-one PC? I bet Windex is heavily investing in this ;-)
(end of rant).
 
No way in hell corporate america is going to migrate to Win 8.

I work for AT&T and we are still on XP. Ya windows XP, because the users want simple things they they know.
 
I got some hands on time with Win8 yesterday. Not sure why all the hate. It is a "little" different from the norm but it isn't so night and day different that it deserves all the hate from people that complain about changes in their daily lives.
 
phaze_italy said:
I just don't understand Microsoft's thought process. I really don't.
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The thought process is they had to think of how to have a brand new design direction that works on phone, tablet, portrait, landscape, convertible, laptop, and desktop. Not only this but have the OS retain compatibility with all X86 software ever. Try and think of all the little things that come up when you do that. Now add in how do you market that and move the ecosystem forward. Now think of how to do that and still make money...

The worst people can come up with is that they have to do one click to be at the desktop just like windows 7 or two click to shut down from the charms bar? I think they did pretty darn well.
 
I installed Classic Shell from SourceForge. Windows 8 becomes pretty much usable again when a keyboard/mouse are attached. (Also dual boot.)
 
dr.stevil said:
God help us all. Windows 8, for the first time in my life, has me seriously considering switching over to OSX
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That's a little drastic isn't it?

That's like saying my Honda isn't going fast enough, I'm going to have to get a Jet engine dragster.
 
Super-D said:
I love it when companies get so big that instead of giving the customers what they want, they start telling the customers what they want.
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And that is the real answer.

In Microsoft's attempt to compete with the iPad, they are making the mistake of trying to force a common interface onto non-tablet systems. They seem to be operating under the assumtion that people buy a iPad and then switch to a Mac, and the only way people will stay with Windows is if have a Windows tablet that looks the same.
 
Outamyhead said:
That's a little drastic isn't it?

That's like saying my Honda isn't going fast enough, I'm going to have to get a Jet engine dragster.
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Given the prevailing attitude on this site wouldn't it be more like

my Honda isn't going fast enough, so I'm going to switch to Moped ... a jet engine dragster would be kind of cool, even if it were impractical :p
 
I found the start button, it's right here!

Punch-Computer.jpg
 
Motley said:
No way in hell corporate america is going to migrate to Win 8.

I work for AT&T and we are still on XP. Ya windows XP, because the users want simple things they they know.
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LOL. Yeah, AT&T is a good example to use. :rolleyes:
If they don't have a plan in place soon for when XP goes EOL, they're gonna be SOL.
 
gunbust3r said:
The thought process is they had to think of how to have a brand new design direction that works on phone, tablet, portrait, landscape, convertible, laptop, and desktop. Not only this but have the OS retain compatibility with all X86 software ever. Try and think of all the little things that come up when you do that. Now add in how do you market that and move the ecosystem forward. Now think of how to do that and still make money...

The worst people can come up with is that they have to do one click to be at the desktop just like windows 7 or two click to shut down from the charms bar? I think they did pretty darn well.
Click to expand...


I wasreferring the the desktop experience, like I said, I understand that they are looking forward and I understand that hey are trying to "merge" a multi-device ecosystem.

But... I'm sorry, I'm not OK with the new shutdown scheme/ awkward metro-to-dektop-to-metro switching. It could have (and should have) been better adapted to desktop and power users. You make it sound like people that accept this new layout are lazy: I see it as laziness on Microsoft's part for not adopting a better solution for such users. We have been seeing ever more "ergonomic" hardware and software solutions for years.... now it's OK to go back on ergonomics?

Let's just face it: Windows 8 is NOT optimized for the desktop user using a mouse and keyboard. Maybe in a few years this will all change, but in the meantime...
 
blackscreen said:
Because your answer to learning a new OS is learning a new OS?
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macOS isn't new. I've been using it, in one capacity or another (school, hobby, repair, etc), for almost as long as I've been using windows.

Oooor you COULD just stick with Windows 7?
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Oh I'd still be using 7, no doubt. However, might as well start getting used to another OS as my daily driver so to speak. It's clear, at the moment anyway, that MS has a new direction for Windows (and one that I don't care for, personally) and has no plans of going back.

Really? You can't use Windows 8, so you go with a whole new OS because it's easier than to change the Start menu?
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I can use Windows 8 just fine, but it's a farcry from wanting to. It's an ugly, cluttered mess IMO. Not a fan of the aesthetics at all. Different strokes for different folks.
 
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