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First Looks At Windows 8.1, Complete With 'Start' Button
Ars Technica has taken a look at Microsoft's newly released preview of Windows 8.1. As widely rumored, the point release features a clamored-for concession to Windows users who rankled at the loss of Windows' Start button in the taskbar.
In addition to various tweaks to 8's search capabilities and icon presentation, says the article, "Some of Windows 8's obvious limitations are being lifted. In 8.1, Metro apps can be run on multiple monitors simultaneously. On any single monitor, more than two applications can be run simultaneously. Instead of Windows 8's fixed split, where one application gets 320 pixels and the other application gets the rest, the division between apps will be variable. It'll also be possible to have multiple windows from a single app so that, for example, two browser windows can be opened side-by-side."
Similar reports on these changes at Wired, Engadget, and SlashCloud.
If you want Windows 8 to look and work like Windows 7, use Classic Shell.
http://sourceforge.net/projects/classicshell/
The option of Metro is still available for tablet users and masochists.
I understand people don't like change, which Windows 8 certainly is, but what I don't get is why some self-confessed-geeks can't seem to see how that in literally seconds you're back to the comfortable old way of using the OS while also enjoying the benefits of 8 over 7 - the speed and memory-footprint improvements must surely be worth more than the 1-2 minutes of customisation Win8 takes if you want ye olde Win7 look & feel back.
throw new NoSignatureException();
Yes, it was basically "it's changed - I don't like it". Same thing happened between 3.11 and Win95 and despite even less options to revert back, the world kept turning. Please read mine.
throw new NoSignatureException();