After installing Windows 8, when you use the operating system for the first time, the very first question that comes to your mind is, “where is Start button?”
Yes, there is no place for dear old Start button in the new Metro interface of Windows 8. This new interface looks cool but Windows users will definitely miss the ease of using Start button in earlier versions. Now, when you take your mouse cursor in the left-bottom corner a little window pops up, you try to hover over it –and it will disappear. This leave the user in a bit of confusion about how to invoke the start menu.
Although there is no start button; but still just make a click in the left-bottom corner. Start screen will appear.
The old start menu has been replaced by a full Start screen of colored tiles. Clicking on these tiles will invoke various programs.
There is no programs menu as such. Once you are on Start Screen –take your mouse cursor into the bottom-right corner. A sidebar on right hand edge of the screen will appear. You can use Search option given in this bar to look for the desired program. On getting the program, take a right click on program’s icon and pin it into the start screen if you intend to use the program often.
You will need more of such Windows 8 tips to get going with the new interface. Soon, I am sure, there would be plenty of information out there.
Microsoft’s new Metro interface is an attempt to make Windows 8 a better experience on touch screen devices. But, to be frank, so far, I am finding this new interface much less efficient on my non-touch-screen laptop. I have to make extra clicks to get the stuff done.
In any case, it takes a bit of time to get used to with such drastic changes. And sooner or later you become habitual and forget the old layout. When Facebook folks changed from “classic” profile format to Timeline format, the same unease could be sensed in FB users. But now all is fine.
So, let’s welcome the all new Windows 8 with brand new user interface. Only time will tell how good it would turn out to be in terms of performance.