Many Windows users have become slightly concerned about the sudden change of direction from Microsoft. Instead of centering the whole OS around the traditional Windows start menu which has been around for years and years, they are now moving towards the Metro UI. As most of you know, Windows 8 is geared heavily towards touch interaction more so than for a mouse. While Microsoft say that the experience is still just as good with a mouse, I beg to differ.
In one of Microsoft’s recent blog posts over on building Windows 8, Chaitanya Sareen goes into great detail all about the new start menu in Windows 8 and how the way people are using it is changing dramatically. The post is littered with all sorts of fancy graphs and statistics that Microsoft have gathered over the years, mainly from Windows 7. From all this data they say that people are using the start menu less and less now, and that the taskbar has taken over a good bit from it. Users rarely scroll through their list of programs anymore and just access them via the taskbar or desktop.
Microsoft believe that the mouse will not be replaced completely by touch but it will see it’s role in our computers reduced. They compare it to a similar debate which was held in the 80′s where people questioned whether or not a mouse was actually necessary for a computer. Microsoft do make a fair point. Touchscreens have become mainstream on pretty much everything but PC’s these days and we need something to kick off the change from traditional mice to touchscreens. Microsoft believe that Windows 8 is the necessary catalyst for such change, as in order for the standard hardware to change, we need the software to go with it.
To post is actually quite interesting and contains loads of facts and figures as well as the origins of the start menu. Have a read through it and it might see you changing your mind on the new Windows 8 start menu and Metro UI. There was also a follow up post released just today about designing the start screen which you can read here
It’s also important to remember that Microsoft still aren’t finished tweaking around with the whole start menu set up and plan on showing us some additional changes in the beta of Windows 8.
What do you think about the new start screen and start menu in Windows 8?
Let us know in the comments
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