{"id":4191,"date":"2013-12-10T10:00:37","date_gmt":"2013-12-10T15:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.nccomputertech.com\/?p=4191"},"modified":"2013-12-10T10:00:37","modified_gmt":"2013-12-10T15:00:37","slug":"report-windows-start-menu-to-return-in-windows-8-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/2013\/12\/10\/report-windows-start-menu-to-return-in-windows-8-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Report: Windows Start menu to return in Windows 8.2"},"content":{"rendered":"

In what could be one of the more startling reversals since New Coke, a report released Monday claims that Microsoft will bring back a Windows 7-style Start menu to what is being called Windows 8.2.<\/p>\n

Paul Thurrott of WinSuperSite reported Monday that Windows 8.2, also known as Threshold, will include a Start menu as well as the ability of Windows 8 or \u201cMetro\u201d apps to run on the desktop itself.<\/p>\n

Microsoft has yet to confirm the report, and given that Windows 8.2 \u201cThreshold\u201d is being bandied about as a early 2015 release, there\u2019s certainly time for Microsoft to cancel its decision (or redesign a Start menu several times).<\/p>\n

Microsoft representatives did not return a request for comment by press time.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Will Windows 8.2 users have the option of never seeing this again?<\/p>\n

Think about it, though. As a technical achievement, adding a Windows 7-style Start menu to Windows 8 is rather small potatoes. But it underscores Microsoft\u2019s recurring fear: Windows 8.1 didn\u2019t go far enough. Instead, to boost Windows 8 out of the sub-10 percent cellar it currently resides, Microsoft apparently feels that Windows 8 needs to provide a Windows 7 experience to those who want it.<\/p>\n

And with the ability to boot to the desktop, access apps via the Start menu, and launch Metro apps via Windows on the desktop, there seems to be a good chance that users will be able to bury the Metro-styled, Windows 8 Start page where it will never be seen again.<\/p>\n

A more unified vision of Microsoft\u2019s OSes?<\/p>\n

Threshold reportedly points towards a future where Microsoft is moving toward a more unified OS vision. ZDNet\u2019s Mary Jo Foley reports that the current thinking is three OSes: two consumer versions, as well as a enterprise version. The former two OSes would be more frequently updated, with the latter option providing a more managed solution for businesses.<\/p>\n

Over time, Microsoft has indicated, it will may move toward a more holistic approach\u2014which, as ZDNet\u2019s Foley has reported\u2014may begin with the Windows OSes sharing high-value activities like Office and games. What this means for Windows RT and Windows Phone is still anyone\u2019s guess.<\/p>\n

As we all know, Windows 8 is a bipolar mix of an OS geared toward the traditional PC\u2014the desktop\u2014as well as Metro apps optimized more for content consumption. One of the objections to Windows 8\u2014and to Windows 8.1\u2014was that desktop users could not exist entirely independently, as they were forced back into the matrix of Windows 8 Live Tiles to launch a new application. And that\u2019s been the foundation for an entire ecosystem of \u201cStart menu\u201d apps.<\/p>\n

More than a year on, that doesn\u2019t seem like much to ask to an experienced Windows 8 user. But as we\u2019ve written time and again, that initial Windows 8 Start page can be daunting to the Windows 8 newbie who lands in the brave new world of Windows 8.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, if Metro apps can now run inside a desktop window, that Microsoft may have gone a bit too far. Some Metro apps, including Foursquare, are arguably better than viewing the same content on a webpage. But, c\u2019mon: do we really need a safety rail to keep users from being lost on the Start page? It\u2019s not that bad.<\/p>\n

Still, if Thurrott\u2019s report is true, then you\u2019ll surely see the phrase \u201cU-turn,\u201d \u201cstunning reversal,\u201d and others to describe Microsoft\u2019s change of heart. And they\u2019ll be right. But give credit where it\u2019s due: Microsoft\u2019s development teams may indeed be feasting on humble pie this Christmas. But they\u2019ll also be giving the gift that many have asked.<\/p>\n

via Report: Windows Start menu to return in Windows 8.2 | PCWorld<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In what could be one of the more startling reversals since New Coke, a report released Monday claims that Microsoft […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[5,9,11],"tags":[1028,1222],"class_list":["post-4191","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-microsoft","category-software","category-windows","tag-start-menu","tag-windows-8-2"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/papNkV-15B","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":9932,"url":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/2025\/05\/16\/microsoft-makes-70-billion-cuts-3-of-workforce\/","url_meta":{"origin":4191,"position":0},"title":"Microsoft Makes $70 Billion, Cuts 3% of Workforce","author":"NCCT","date":"May 16, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/L0nyc9O5qYY On Windows Weekly, Paul Thurrott and Richard Campbell try to comprehend the sweeping employee layoffs happening at Microsoft in the wake of $70 billion in revenue. 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