Comparison of Start menu replacements for Windows 8

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Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system introduced an updated Start menu known as the "Start screen", which uses a full-screen design consisting of tiles to represent applications. This replaced the Windows desktop as the primary interface of the operating system. Additionally, the on-screen Start button was replaced by a hidden button in the corner of the screen; Microsoft explained that the Start button was removed because few people used it, noting the addition of "pinning" apps to the taskbar from Windows 7. [1] [2]

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The change was controversial among users, and a market ensued for applications which restore the visible Start button, emulate the previous Start menu design, or allow users to boot directly to the Desktop instead of the Start screen. [3]

The following is a list of Start menu replacements for Windows 8 which have received coverage from third-party sources:

NameDeveloperLicenseSkinsRunPinningAeroSortBoot to desktopNotes
BringBack [4] Revel Software Discontinued  ? ? ? ? ? ?Discontinued [5] (http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/revel_bringback8.html)
Classic Shell [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] Classic Shell team MIT License [11] 10+extensible [12] YesYesYesYesYesAllows Modern UI related tweaks
Discontinued and forked to Open-Shell
Classic Start 8 [13] Crawler, LLC Freeware NoYes ? ? ? ?
Classic Windows Start Menu [14] SourceCodeBoy CC-BY-NC-ND (Freeware for non-commercial use only) [15] YesYesNoYesYesYesDiscontinued (last version here http://www.pypa.es/Utilidades/Software/)
Ex7forW8 [16] Tihiy Freeware  ? ? ? ? ? ?Discontinued (http://tihiy.net/files/ex7forW8_1.0.zip)
Finalbird [17] Svyatoslav Yudin Freeware NoYesYesNoYesYesFavorites of Start Menu is unified with the other software parts
Handy Start Menu [18] ChemTable Software Freeware  ? ? ? ? ? ?
Open-Shell [19]  ? MIT Yes ? ? ? ?YesFork of Classic Shell
Pokki [6] [7] [9] [20] SweetLabs, Inc. Freeware No ? ? ? ?Yes
Power8 [6] [21]

[22]

Power8 Team GNU General Public License  ? ? ? ? ? ?
RetroUI Pro [6] [8] [23] [24] Thinix Trialware  ? ? ? ? ? ?
Samsung Quick Starter [25] Samsung  ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Start Menu 8 [6] [7] [9] [26] IObit Trialware  ? ?No ? ?Yes
Start Menu Reviver [27] ReviverSoft Freeware  ? ? ? ? ?Yestouch screen support
Start Menu X [28] OrdinarySoft Freemium  ? ? ? ? ? ?
Start8 [6] [7] [29] Stardock Corporation Trialware YesYesYes ? ?Yes
StartFinity [30] WinAbility Software Freemium  ? ? ? ? ?YesSupports automatic localization of Start menu
StartIsBack [6] [7] [8] Пуск Будет Удобнее Trialware 4+YesYes ? ?Yesmodifies existing hot corners
StartMenuPlus8 [31] Winok Trialware  ? ? ? ? ? ?
StartW8 [32] SODATSW Freeware  ? ? ? ? ? ?
SyMenuUGMFree Freeware 6 ?Yes ?YesYesThe menu is fully portable
Tweaks.com Start for Windows 8 [33] Advanced PC Media Freeware  ? ? ? ? ? ?
ViStart [34] Lee-Soft Ad-supported YesYesYesNo ?Yes
Wentutu Start Menu [35] Wentutu ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Win8StartButton [36] Torch Media Inc. ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Win8Starter [37] Engelmann Media GmbH ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Xeesa 1b QuickStart [38] Xeesa Services Freemium No ? ? ? ? ?Cloud Start Menu available

The number of skins in the table givens the number of built-in skins. If there are downloadable skins, then a "+" is appended to the number to indicate that download extensions are possible.

RetroUI, StartIsBack, Classic Shell, Start8, and Pokki are five of the more notable of these. [6] [7] RetroUI is offered in 33 languages, and also for Windows Server 2012, and adds a taskbar and resizable windows. [39] StartIsBack is also localized. [40] Classic Shell used to be free and open source (now proprietary freeware), major items are localized and installing the Language Pack from Windows Update makes all items fully localized; Classic Shell is also available for Windows 7 and Windows Server, and claims over 25 million downloads. [41] The Pokki download to restore the Start menu is free; as of January 2013, it has about 1.5 million users. [42] The Pokki application platform, based on Chromium, enables desktop applications to be built—like mobile apps—using standard web languages like HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript. [43] It is also available for Windows XP and Windows 7. [44] Pokki has raised $21.5M from investors like Google, Intel, and O'Reilly; [45] its business model is to make a commission on software sold through its app store. [43] [46] Start8 has been downloaded over 5 million times. [47]

See also

Related Research Articles

The taskbar is a graphical user interface element that has been part of Microsoft Windows since Windows 95, displaying and facilitating switching between running programs. The taskbar and the associated Start Menu were created and named in 1993 by Daniel Oran, a program manager at Microsoft who had previously collaborated on great ape language research with the behavioral psychologist B.F. Skinner at Harvard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Windows key</span> Keyboard key

The Windows key is a keyboard key which was originally introduced on Microsoft's Natural Keyboard in 1994. Windows 95 used it to bring up the start menu and it then became a standard key on PC keyboards. On computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system, Ctrl+Esc performs the same function, in case the keyboard lacks this key.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Window manager</span> Type of system software

A window manager is system software that controls the placement and appearance of windows within a windowing system in a graphical user interface. Most window managers are designed to help provide a desktop environment. They work in conjunction with the underlying graphical system that provides required functionality—support for graphics hardware, pointing devices, and a keyboard—and are often written and created using a widget toolkit.

The Start menu is a graphical user interface element that has been part of Microsoft Windows since Windows 95, providing a means of opening programs and performing other functions in the Windows shell. The Start menu, and the Taskbar on which it appears, were created and named in 1993 by Daniel Oran, a program manager at Microsoft who had previously collaborated on great ape language research with the behavioral psychologist B.F. Skinner at Harvard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Windows Aero</span> Design language by Microsoft

Windows Aero is the design language introduced in the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system. The changes introduced by Windows Aero encompassed many elements of the Windows interface, with the introduction of a new visual style with an emphasis on animation, glass, and translucency; interface guidelines for phrasing and tone of instructions and other text in applications were available. New cursors and sounds based on Windows Aero design principles were also introduced.

The Windows shell is the graphical user interface for the Microsoft Windows operating system. Its readily identifiable elements consist of the desktop, the taskbar, the Start menu, the task switcher and the AutoPlay feature. On some versions of Windows, it also includes Flip 3D and the charms. In Windows 10, the Windows Shell Experience Host interface drives visuals like the Start Menu, Action Center, Taskbar, and Task View/Timeline. However, the Windows shell also implements a shell namespace that enables computer programs running on Windows to access the computer's resources via the hierarchy of shell objects. "Desktop" is the top object of the hierarchy; below it there are a number of files and folders stored on the disk, as well as a number of special folders whose contents are either virtual or dynamically created. Recycle Bin, Libraries, Control Panel, This PC and Network are examples of such shell objects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metro (design language)</span> Design language introduced by Microsoft

Microsoft Design Language, previously known as Metro, is a design language created by Microsoft. This design language is focused on typography and simplified icons, absence of clutter, increased content to chrome ratio, and basic geometric shapes. Early examples of MDL principles can be found in Encarta 95 and MSN 2.0. The design language evolved in Windows Media Center and Zune and was formally introduced as Metro during the unveiling of Windows Phone 7. It has since been incorporated into several of the company's other products, including the Xbox 360 system software and the Xbox One system software, Windows 8, Windows Phone, and Outlook.com. Before the "Microsoft design language" title became official, Microsoft executive Qi Lu referred to it as the modern UI design language in his MIXX conference keynote speech. According to Microsoft, "Metro" has always been a codename and was never meant as a final product, but news websites attribute this change to trademark issues.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pokki</span> Free digital distribution platform

Pokki is a free digital distribution platform and Windows Shell extension by SweetLabs, Inc. that alters the start menu to a look and feel like the second generation start menu used before Windows 8. The extension also adds additional functionality to the start menu including search, favorites, and popular applications.

RetroUI is a utility for Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 by Thinix that modifies Windows Shell, especially the Start menu and taskbar. RetroUI places a Start menu and start button on the Windows taskbar, makes taskbar visible on the Start screen, and allows users to run Windows Store apps in re-sizable windows. RetroUI was launched in September 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Windows 8.1</span> 2013 release of Windows NT

Windows 8.1 is a release of the Windows NT operating system developed by Microsoft. It was released to manufacturing on August 27, 2013, and broadly released for retail sale on October 17, 2013, about a year after the retail release of its predecessor, and succeeded by Windows 10 on July 29, 2015. Windows 8.1 was made available for download via MSDN and Technet and available as a free upgrade for retail copies of Windows 8 and Windows RT users via the Windows Store. A server version, Windows Server 2012 R2, was released on October 18, 2013.

Classic Shell is a computer program for Microsoft Windows that provides user interface elements intended to restore familiar features from past versions of Windows. It focuses on the Start menu, File Explorer and Internet Explorer — three major components of the Windows shell although it also does some minor tweaks for the Windows Taskbar. In particular, it can serve as a Start menu replacement for Windows 8 and Windows 10 systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Universal Windows Platform apps</span> Applications usable across all compatible Microsoft Windows devices

Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps are applications that can be used across all compatible Microsoft Windows devices. They are primarily purchased and downloaded via the Microsoft Store, Microsoft's digital application storefront.

SweetLabs is a software distribution company based in San Diego and Seattle. SweetLabs has raised at least $21.5 million in venture capital from Bessemer Venture Partners, Google Ventures, Intel Capital, and O’Reilly AlphaTech Ventures.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Windows 11</span> Major release of Windows NT, released in 2021

Windows 11 is the latest major release of Microsoft's Windows NT operating system, released on October 5, 2021. It succeeded Windows 10 (2015), and is available for free for any Windows 10 devices that meet the new Windows 11 system requirements.

Windows 11 is the current major release of Microsoft's Windows NT operating system. Released on October 5, 2021, Windows 11 succeeds the previous major release, Windows 10.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Windows 10X</span> Cancelled edition of Windows 10

Windows 10X was an edition of Windows 10, a major release of the Microsoft Windows series of operating systems. Announced by Microsoft on October 2, 2019, it was initially developed as an operating system to support dual-screen devices, such as the unreleased Surface Neo. 10X was expected to be released in 2020, but Microsoft later announced that the project had been cancelled in May 2021. However, some features and design changes from 10X were integrated into the newer Windows 11. While the operating system was originally designed for dual-screen devices, Windows 10X shifted its target to single-screen devices in 2020 due to increasing demand for traditional computers from the COVID-19 pandemic.

References

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  2. ↑ Whitney, Lance (2012-02-06). "Microsoft removes start button in Windows 8". CNET. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  3. ↑ Whitney, Lance (2011-10-12). "Microsoft reacts to gripes over Windows 8 Start screen". CNET. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  4. ↑ Revel BringBack (beta) Review | Windows 8 Start Menu Apps
  5. ↑ "Revel Software - About Us". Archived from the original on 2013-12-07. Retrieved 2014-01-30.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "9 Windows Start menus for Windows 8". IT World. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
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  11. ↑ Classic Shell FAQ, Is Classic Shell open-source?
  12. ↑ Classic Shell Review: Softpedia
  13. ↑ Free Traditional Start Menu Style for Use with Windows® 8
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  15. ↑ SourceCodeBoy. "SourceCodeBoy homepage". Archived from the original on 2015-01-09. Retrieved 2015-01-09.
  16. ↑ "Disable the new Windows 8 interface for good with Ex7ForW8". 11 December 2012.
  17. ↑ "Finalbird - Free download and software reviews - CNET Download.com".
  18. ↑ Handy Start Menu – CNET Download.com
  19. ↑ Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu, Open-Shell, 2022-07-18, retrieved 2022-07-18
  20. ↑ "Pokki Brings Back the Start Menu to Help Confused Windows 8 Users". SFGate. 2012-10-16. Retrieved 2012-12-11.
  21. ↑ "What Windows 8.1 Must Be – Personal-tech – Desktop Operating Systems – BYTE". Informationweek.com. 2012-12-04. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  22. ↑ "Home · AgentMC/power8 Wiki · GitHub". Mike Makarov AgentMC. 2015-04-09. Retrieved 2015-11-03.
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  25. ↑ Chris Smith (2012-10-16). "Samsung to return classic Start menu to Windows 8 with free app | News". TechRadar. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
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  27. ↑ WINDOWS 8 START MENU APPS SHOWDOWN
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  29. ↑ Gregg Keizer (2012-09-27). "$5 buys a Start button, Start screen bypass for Windows 8". Computerworld. Archived from the original on 2014-08-21. Retrieved 2012-12-11.
  30. ↑ Preston Gralla (2012-10-12). "Windows 8 cheat sheet". COMPUTERWORLD. Retrieved 2013-10-05.
  31. ↑ Jon L. Jacobi. "Review: StartMenuPlus8 is just another utility to give Windows 8 a Start Menu". PCWorld. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  32. ↑ Want To Get Back The Start Menu In Windows 8? Here's How | Mobile & Apps
  33. ↑ "Tweaks.com Start for Windows 8". Advanced PC Media LLC. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  34. ↑ Muchmore, Michael (2012-04-17). "Tip: How to Get the Start Menu Back in Windows 8". PCMag.com. Retrieved 2012-12-11.
  35. ↑ Bring the Start Menu back in Windows 8 with this app
  36. ↑ 6 Things Microsoft Must Do In 2013 – Software – Windows 8
  37. ↑ "Win8Starter: Startmenü gratis für Windows 8 – News – CHIP Online". Chip.de. 2011-08-27. Archived from the original on 2012-12-14. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  38. ↑ Xeesa 1b Archived 2015-08-02 at the Wayback Machine
  39. ↑ "RetroUI web site". Archived from the original on 2013-03-26. Retrieved 2013-04-06.
  40. ↑ StartIsBack web site
  41. ↑ Classic Shell
  42. ↑ Yahoo! News, Jan. 16, 2013
  43. 1 2 Kincaid, Jason (30 June 2011). "OpenCandy's Pokki Brings Web Apps To The Desktop, With Style". TechCrunch. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  44. ↑ Pokki web site
  45. ↑ Wauters, Robin (29 September 2011). "SweetLabs Raises $13 Million From Intel, Google And Others For Pokki App Platform". TechCrunch. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
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  47. ↑ Mossberg, Walter S. (2013-05-07). "Review of Start8 and Pokki: Bringing an Old Start to a New Windows - WSJ.com". Online.wsj.com. Retrieved 2013-05-29.
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